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NTSB Plans New Emergency Medical Helo Rules

Aug 28, 2009

Frances Fiorino fiorino@...

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) plans to propose 19 new

safety recommendations aimed at minimizing the risks of helicopter

emergency medical services (HEMS) operations at a Sept. 1 board meeting

in Washington, D.C.

According to the safety board, the recommendations will address a wide

range of safety improvements - including the development of a

low-altitude airspace infrastructure, operators' adoption of safety

management systems and data monitoring programs, and pilot use of new

technologies such as night vision goggles.

The new recommendations were developed following the NTSB's Feb. 3-6

hearing that evaluated factors that led to an increasing number of HEMS

accidents. At that hearing, the board noted that from 2003 through 2008,

77 people died in 85 HEMS accidents. Last year was the deadliest on

record for HEMS operations, with 29 fatalities in eight accidents - an

increase from seven deaths in two accidents in 2007.

At the February hearing, the NTSB heard testimony from some 41

witnesses. Topics under discussion included how the growth of HEMS

operations might increase pressure to conduct flights, pilot training

and use of flight simulators, and the use of safety-enhancing

technologies, such as terrain awareness and warning systems (TAWS).

Improving safety of EMS flights is on the NTSB's 'Most Wanted List " of

aviation safety improvements. The NTSB issued four recommendations

issued in Feb. 7, 2006, in conjunction with its January 25, 2006,

special investigative report on EMS safety.

The following three recommendations are categorized as " open, " with the

FAA's response " unacceptable: " require that all flights with medical

personnel on board be conducted in accordance with FAR Part 135

regulations. (Currently positioning flights with medical personnel but

with no passengers onboard may operate under less stringent provisions

of Part 91.); develop and implement flight risk evaluation programs; and

require the installation of TAWS on aircraft.

The recommendation that would require formalized dispatch and flight

following procedures including up-to-date weather information is

categorized as " Open " with the FAA's response " acceptable. "