NTSB Preliminary Report: Andalusia, AL

The approximate15-minute flight departed a base in Evergreen, Alabama and cruised at 2,000 ft mean sea level, destined to Andalusia Health Hospital with the intention to pick up a patient for transfer to a different hospital. During a postaccident interview, the pilot stated that he remembered reporting 7 miles from South Alabama Regional Airport (79J), Andalusia, Alabama. Although 79J was not the destination, the pilot made the report on the common traffic advisory frequency for traffic avoidance as an airplane had just departed 79J. The pilot did not recall the accident sequence. He felt sweaty and clammy toward the end of the flight but was not lightheaded and did not experience vertigo. He remembered someone telling him to “pull up” three times and then remembered being in an ambulance.

The flight paramedic stated in a postaccident interview that the helicopter was approaching the hospital helipad and descending; however, it seemed low as the helipad was still about 1 mile away. The flight nurse was seated behind the pilot, tapped him on the shoulder and said that they were too low. The pilot replied “yeah, yeah, yeah,” and initially leveled off, but then the nose began to pitch down into another descent. At that point the flight nurse made a mayday call, shook the pilot’s seat and told him to “pullup, pullup, pullup.” The helicopter subsequently nosed-up, made a left turn and impacted a field on its right side.

The flight nurse was critically injured and could not provide a statement.

Witnesses in the field stated that the helicopter flew overhead about 300 ft above ground level, nosed up 90° or more, before turning left and impacting trees, powerlines, and the ground.

An Appareo Vision 1000 cockpit video recorder was retained and forwarded to the National Transportation Safety Board Vehicle Recorders Laboratory for data download.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Wreckage and Impact Information