National Transportation Safety Board

NTSB A-17-12 / 13 Safety Recommendations Steering Committee

On March 28, 2017 the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued their findings on the July 3, 2015 crash of the Air Methods AS350 B3e helicopter in Frisco, Colorado. For full report see link below. As part of those recommendations the NTSB asked the Association of Critical Care Transport (ACCT), in collaboration with the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) and the Air Medical Operators Association (AMOA), to establish a working group to develop and distribute guidelines, for those that purchase, lease, and contract for helicopters, regarding the equipment and systems that would enhance the helicopters’ crashworthiness, including, at a minimum, a crash-resistant fuel system and energy-absorbing seats.

Frank Erdman, the Chair of ACCT and the Critical Care Transport Manager of the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, appointed Tom Judge, ACCT Board Member and the CEO of Life Flight of Maine to chair the committee. Also named to the committee were Robbie Tester, Vice President of Operations at LIFE FORCE at the Erlanger Health System; Greg Hildenbrand, ACCT Board Member and the CEO of Life Star of Kansas; Chris Eastlee, Vice President of Government Relations for AAMS; and Ed Stockhausen, AMOA President and Director of Safety for Metro Aviation. Chris Zalar, Partner with Fitch and Associates, provides senior staff support and management services and Edward Eroe, Treasurer of ACCT and President & CEO of Life Link III, is responsible to manage external communications regarding the committee’s work.

 


 

Documents

NTSB – Accident Report

NTSB – Executive Summary

NTSB – White Paper – June, 2017

 


Resource Materials

FAA SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS INFORMATION BULLETIN Regarding Fuel Systems – 13-October-2017

Rotorcraft Occupant Protection Working Group – Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee March 2016

Annals of Emergency Medicine – EMS Helicopter Crashes: What Influences Fatal Outcome? – October, 2006 – October, 2006

NTSB – Safety Recommendations – October, 1985

NTSB – Safety Recommendation Report – Crash-Resistant Fuel Systems on Airbus Helicopters – March, 2016

DOT Report – A Study of Helicopter Crash-Resistant Fuel Systems – February, 2002

NTSB Safety Recommendation – July, 2015

Annals of Emergency Medicine – Souls on Board: Helicopter Emergency Medical Services and Safety – April, 2006

Air Medical Journal – The Cost Effectiveness of Air Medical Helicopter Crash Survival Enhancements – July, 1994

US Army Aeromedical Research Lab Report – Helicopter Crashworthy Fuel Systems Effectivness In Preventing Thermal Injury – July1981