Event Overview
During a night approach to a field established by the local fire department for a medical evacuation (med-evac), the pilot was informed of wires on the west side of the field and that one of the police cars was parked beneath those wires. The pilot circled the area three to four times using the searchlight to identify hazards while communicating with ground units.
Patient Loading and Departure
After loading the patient, the helicopter departed to the west across the approximately 500-foot field. Witnesses reported that the helicopter never climbed higher than the wires until it was about 20 feet from them. At that point, the helicopter pitched nose-up to approximately a 45-degree angle, climbed over the wires, and then descended into the ground.
Official Statement
The acting commander of the state police aviation division stated that the use of maximum performance takeoffs is considered mandatory when departing landing sites at night where obstacles such as wires are present and the crew has never landed there before.
Investigation
The accident investigation is ongoing. No further details were provided in the source material regarding aircraft type, registration, operator, date, or injuries.