Medical Helicopter, 3 Fatalities, KY, 10/7/2024

"Hit a tower" according to witnesses.
 
midwestpa24 said:
"Hit a tower" according to witnesses.
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Air Evac Lifeteam‘s helicopter, Air Evac 133, was responding to an emergency call around 6 p.m. when it hit a “guy-wire” and crashed, according to the FAA’s accident and incident report.
 
If you look where the ADS-B track ends, there is a 1000ft radio tower right in front of them.
The absolute sad part is that most EFBs have an obstacle database that would've warned them about it. I guess nobody brought an ipad with them.
 
AV8R_87 said:
If you look where the ADS-B track ends, there is a 1000ft radio tower right in front of them.
The absolute sad part is that most EFBs have an obstacle database that would've warned them about it. I guess nobody brought an ipad with them.
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My ancient Lowrance AirMap had an obstacle database, in 1997.
Something similar should be mandatory for aircraft that typically fly low, and into non-airport/heliport landing areas.
 
Aren’t helicopters required to have HTAWS? See FAR 135.605
 
Flying Keys said:
Aren’t helicopters required to have HTAWS?
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Yes. I believe AEL uses Garmin HTAWS. Don't see how that or any device would help with guy wires though. Word is they were landing at a baseball or football field adjacent to the tower area.
 
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HTAWS databases are usually set-up in a grid, with a typical tower occupying at a minimum an area of .3×.3 nm.
You'll get an OBSTACLE warning before you reach that set of grid squares.

For a tower 1000' tall with 45° guy wires, they should at most extend 1000' laterally from the tower, well within the protected area.

My thought (based on their cruise altitude) is that they were in Terrain Inhibit mode and never saw it coming. But an ipad graphically turning those obstacles red might've given them additional situational awareness and helped avoid this.
 
What time of day, what weather ?
 
They had a G500H in the panel so unless they had SVT off or the towers not depicted or HTAWS inhibit, they would’ve known about the tower. If they were too slow (60 kts less) based on config, HTAWS won’t alert. That’s so you won’t hear it yapping all the time.

As far as iPads, since they’re our sister company I’d be willing to bet they’re iPad equipped. Doesn’t mean the iPad was in use (AC 120-76E). Other than planning on the ground, I don’t even use the iPad. Everything is in the panel.

RIP
 
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AV8R_87 said:
But an ipad graphically turning those obstacles red might've given them additional situational awareness and helped avoid this.
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FYI: most 135 helicopter ops dont permit ipads/EFBs for inflight nav reference with some companies not permitting their use at all in the cockpit during flight unless in a company approved mount due to safety issues. Besides if he was in landing or recon mode I'm sure he knew the tower/wires were there and perhaps got distracted? Supposedly the guy wire mounts are near the edge of the fields mentioned above.
 
The pilot had a lot of experience. Over 17,000 hrs. Was Army Guard (UH-72, OH-58). Fixed wing B727 with DHL.
 
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weilke said:
What time of day, what weather ?
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5:30 pm and sounds like good VFR. Sun might have been a factor. One reporter seemed surprised the guy wire didn’t snap. Those things are thick. Black Hawk hit one in Texas in 2004 and it cut through the aircraft like a hot knife through butter.

 
This is their track - they were coming in from the NE, but the track stops a couple miles short of the accident site.

ADS-B Exchange - track aircraft live

ADS-B Exchange - track aircraft live - aircraft flight history
globe.adsbexchange.com globe.adsbexchange.com

This is the tower location, with the guy wire anchor points on the blue circle marked by the short blue segments. Red arrow indicates the approximate arrival heading, which would corroborate with the speculation that the sun angle made observing the tower/wires difficult.
But the wire anchor points were less than 300ft from the tower. Question for @Velocity173 or anyone else flying similar missions currently, what would be the reason to get that close to a tower? Rumor is the intended landing spot was either the football or the baseball field next to it. My assumption is always that such a freestanding tower has the added danger of guy wires in close proximity and flight path should be planned accordingly. If the reports of the actual point of impact are correct (Mexican place about half a mile SW of the tower) then it's more likely that they clipped the south pointing guy wire. Were they overflying the baseball field for inspection, followed by a 180 turn for landing?

I've never flown with a G500H, and don't know how their terrain display is set-up. Is it a case of too much clutter on it to the point that a tower might be missed? Does it have any pop-up alert features when it comes to terrain and obstacles, and to what level can they be disabled? That is why I mentioned having an ipad for SA - while not used for actual navigation, the plan view obstacle alert function can be simpler and easier to process than what you'll get on the PFD. See red on the sectional, stay clear. Same with having a proper EGPWS pop-up that clears the display of everything else.

1728480385164.png
 
AV8R_87 said:
This is their track - they were coming in from the NE, but the track stops a couple miles short of the accident site.
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Flightradar 24 has a more complete track (probably from ATC data):

IMG_4062.jpeg

Overhead view, north up. Mexican restaurant is circled in red.

IMG_4064.jpeg
 
AV8R_87 said:
This is their track - they were coming in from the NE, but the track stops a couple miles short of the accident site.

ADS-B Exchange - track aircraft live

ADS-B Exchange - track aircraft live - aircraft flight history
globe.adsbexchange.com globe.adsbexchange.com

This is the tower location, with the guy wire anchor points on the blue circle marked by the short blue segments. Red arrow indicates the approximate arrival heading, which would corroborate with the speculation that the sun angle made observing the tower/wires difficult.
But the wire anchor points were less than 300ft from the tower. Question for @Velocity173 or anyone else flying similar missions currently, what would be the reason to get that close to a tower? Rumor is the intended landing spot was either the football or the baseball field next to it. My assumption is always that such a freestanding tower has the added danger of guy wires in close proximity and flight path should be planned accordingly. If the reports of the actual point of impact are correct (Mexican place about half a mile SW of the tower) then it's more likely that they clipped the south pointing guy wire. Were they overflying the baseball field for inspection, followed by a 180 turn for landing?

I've never flown with a G500H, and don't know how their terrain display is set-up. Is it a case of too much clutter on it to the point that a tower might be missed? Does it have any pop-up alert features when it comes to terrain and obstacles, and to what level can they be disabled? That is why I mentioned having an ipad for SA - while not used for actual navigation, the plan view obstacle alert function can be simpler and easier to process than what you'll get on the PFD. See red on the sectional, stay clear. Same with having a proper EGPWS pop-up that clears the display of everything else.

View attachment 134173
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Well they were landing to the football field so in order to do a recon (right orbit), they’re gonna get near the tower. Generally that recon is done around 300 ft during the day and sometimes the aircraft shows up at normal cruise. Honestly think he completely forgot about the guy wires since NTSB said he’s landed there before.

The 500H gives an excellent tower depiction on both the right PFD (SVT) and left MFD. depending on altitude, towers illuminate gray, yellow or red (at or below altitude). There’s also a separate audio alert. Again, I think the pilot was probably aware of the tower, he just forgot about guy wires or, just didn’t realize how far out they go.

Disclaimer: my comments don’t represent GMR or any of its affiliates.
 
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Prelim is out. Has a bit more information on the flight path and sequence of events.

N230AE flight path.jpg
Communication records from the Kentucky State Police (KSP) revealed that the flight was requested at 1714, and three minutes later, the flight was confirmed with a 14-minute estimated time of arrival. Coordination between the landing zone (LZ), adjacent to a local high school, and the accident helicopter continued for several minutes while the helicopter was enroute and the LZ was properly staffed and equipped for the helicopter’s arrival. At 1724, the helicopter was advised that the requisite fire units had yet to arrive, and the pilot advised that he would “circle” the LZ until it was prepared for the landing. At 1729, the pilot advised that the high school was in sight, that they would perform “a couple of recons, and then head down.”
At 1731, county fire units reported a helicopter accident over their radios.
Several witnesses described that the helicopter approached from the north at “low altitude” with no unusual sounds or movements. A guyed television signal transmission tower, with a height of 601 ft above ground level (1,559 ft mean sea level) was located on the high school campus adjacent to the LZ. The witnesses saw the helicopter strike one of the guy wires supporting the tower before it descended to ground contact. Several detailed written statements described watching the helicopter strike the wire, watching the wire “move,” and “pieces”; more specifically, the main rotor, separate from the helicopter, before the helicopter and the main rotor system descended separately to the ground.
 

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flyingron said:
HTWAS disables below 500 feet, no?
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No. What would be the point? As I recall, depending on how it is configured, it protects down to 100.' And I think if coupled to a radar altimeter HTWAS protects to 50'. But I could be wrong on the 50'.
 
Had to be flying right into the sun not to see that thing.
 
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