Air Methods Seeks New Probable Cause Determination

Air Methods has filed a petition with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) requesting that the Safety Board reconsider/modify its probable cause determination related to the June 29, 2008 fatal mid-air collision in Flagstaff, AZ.

The mid-air involved an Air Methods Bell 407 helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) transport and another Bell 407 operated by Classic Helicopters of Woods Cross, UT.

The two choppers collided while attempting to land at Flagstaff Medical Center.

Killed aboard the Air Methods helicopter were the pilot, flight nurse and patient.

The pilot, paramedic, flight nurse and patient aboard the other Bell 207 also died.

The NTSB ruled that "both pilots failed to see and avoid the other helicopter on approach to the helipad".

Specifically, Air Methods' petition seeks the following from the NTSB:

1. Reconsideration and deletion of the Board's finding that a contributing cause in the accident was "the failure of Air Methods' pilot to follow arrival and noise abatement guidelines;"

2. The addition, as a contributing cause, the presence of prescription pain-killing medication in the Classic Helicopters pilot's blood that could influence decisions or performance; and

3. The addition, as a contributing cause, of the failure of the Classic communications center to communicate pertinent information to the Classic aircraft regarding the fact that Air Methods' aircraft was inbound to Flagstaff Medical Center (FMC) with the same estimated time of arrival as the Classic Helicopters aircraft.

Aaron Todd, Air Methods CEO, said "we are deeply troubled by what we consider to be critical inaccuracies in the NTSB current Probable Cause Report and the inconsistencies between the findings in this case versus previous cases."