Accident Overview
An aircraft executing a night non-emergency EMS mission crashed after contacting 70-foot tall high tension power lines.
Weather Conditions
Witnesses reported that the weather was instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) with low overcast ceilings, visibility ranging from 1/4 to 1 mile, rain and fog, and thunderstorms throughout the area. The rain varied from drizzle to very heavy at times.
Pilot Information
The pilot received three briefings from the Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) and was fully aware of the weather conditions. He had the authority to refuse the mission if, in his judgment, the weather was questionable or unacceptable.
Operational Procedures
The hospital had written procedures for inadvertent flight into IMC, which the pilot did not follow. Records fail to indicate that the pilot had reviewed these procedures, nor do they indicate that the pilot had received any instrument flight rules (IFR) training during his one month of employment.