Quincy, IL, USA
N61AE
Bell 206L-1
A hospital security guard walked into the spinning tailrotor. The pilot and a nurse were on board the helicopter preparing for an EMS flight. The medic stayed outside the helicopter to connect the battery cart. The medic stated that the hospital security guards were standing next to him when the helicopter was started. The medic disconnected the battery cart and was closing the battery access panel when he heard a loud noise. When he looked up he noticed that the battery cart was near the tail of the helicopter. He yelled to the pilot to shut down the helicopter. When he circled around the helicopter, he saw one of the security guards lying on the ground near the tail rotor. The guard later succumbed to his injuries. The security guard had received training on how to safely approach a helicopter when the rotors are operating. The guards duties at the time of the accident were to keep unauthorized personnel away from the helicopter when it was operating.
On January 22, 2001, at 0005 central standard time, a Bell Helicopter 206L-1 N61AE, operated by Air Evac EMS, received minor damage when a hospital security guard walked into the tail rotor. The helicopter was standing with the engines running on the 11th Street Helipad at the Blessing Hospital, Quincy, Illinois. The hospital security guard received fatal injuries. The pilot and flight nurse on board the helicopter were not injured. The helicopter was being prepared for a medivac flight to Canton, Missouri, and was operating under 14 CFR Part 91 at the time of the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The pilot reported that after receiving the call for the flight, he, a medic, a nurse, and a security guard readied the helicopter for the flight. He stated they positioned the helicopter on the helipad and the medic brought the battery cart to the front of the helicopter. The pilot and the nurse entered the helicopter, and the medic stayed outside to connect the battery cart. The pilot reported the medic informed him that the area was clear. The pilot reported, "The guard did not move away but stayed in a safe place beside the medic." The pilot started the helicopter then gave the medic the signal to disconnect the battery cart. The pilot reported he was turning on the radios when"…I saw movement in my peripheral vision. I turned and looked out my door but could not determine who had passed by. I looked in front of the aircraft and saw the medic was still standing there and realized it must have been the security guard that had passed by my door. Before I could ask the nurse, who was in the back seat of the aircraft to try and stop him I heard the sound of something come in contact with the rotor system. My medic then cried out to shut down the aircraft. I immediately closed the throttle and applied the rotor brake." The pilot reported he secured the helicopter, exited, and went behind the helicopter where he saw the security guard lying on his back. The medic reported that after they removed the helicopter from the hangar, he remained in front of the helicopter waiting for the pilot to give him the signal to hook up the battery cart. He reported that the security guard was standing beside him. The other security guard began walking toward the helicopter, and he yelled at him to stop; however he apparently was not heard. The medic reported that he then told both security guards that they "can't walk up to the craft without permission." He reported that the pilot was ready and he told both security guards to "stand by me and don't leave until I give permission." He reported he connected the battery cart, checked the area, and cleared the pilot to start the helicopter. He continued to report that once the helicopter was running he disconnected the battery cart. He then heard one of the security guards say something, but he wasn't sure who he was talking to. The medic continued to report that he was closing the cover on the battery access panel when he heard a loud noise. He stepped back and saw that the battery cart was under the tail boom. He was not aware that it had been moved. He reported that he yelled at the pilot to shut down the helicopter and yelled out that no one should move or leave. He reported, "I quickly exited to front of craft past blades and circled around to the other side. I saw a body lying on the ground by the cart, not moving." He then ran into the emergency room for assistance. The uninjured security guard reported to the Quincy Police Department that when he arrived at the helipad, the security guard who was involved in the accident was helping the flight crew remove the wheels from the helicopter. He reported the security guard then went to the front of the helicopter with the medic. He continued to report that after the medic disconnected the battery cart, the security guard insisted on taking the cart back to the hangar. The uninjured security guard stated that he was walking off the helipad in a northbound direction when he heard a "thump." He turned and saw the security guard fall to the ground near the tail rotor. Records provided by the Blessing Hospital show the security guard who was fatally injured in this accident attended an in-service training session on February 24, 2000. According to the syllabus for the training, the subject of the training was "Helicopter Safety & Disaster Training." One of the objectives was listed as "Recognize how to approach the aircraft in a safe manner while the rotors are in operation." According to the hospital, the purpose for security personnel being present on the helipad was to keep unauthorized people away from the helicopter during its operation.
The security guard failed to maintain clearance with the operating tail rotor.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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