History of Flight
On July 11, 2016, at approximately 1850 eastern daylight time, a hoist system operator was fatally injured after falling from a Bell 429 helicopter, registration N1SP, while conducting external hoist operations at Delaware Coastal Airport (GED) in Georgetown, Delaware. The commercial pilot and two other crewmembers were not injured, and the helicopter sustained no damage. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local public flight operated by the Delaware State Police.
The flight's purpose was for an emergency response team to complete recurrent rescue hoist training. The three-person team comprised a rescue specialist, a system operator, and a safety officer. During a typical evolution, the rescue specialist would be lowered from the helicopter. The system operator, positioned on the helicopter's skid, would retract the hook back into the helicopter, after which the pilot would return to the original hover position. The rescue specialist would then cue the crew to return to the target area, the system operator would extend the hook, the rescue specialist would connect to the hoist, and the system operator would raise the rescue specialist back into the helicopter. Each crewmember was required to complete three evolutions as a rescue specialist and three as a system operator. After three evolutions, the pilot would land, the crew would rotate positions, and the process would restart. The system operator wore a full body harness tethered to the helicopter interior via a strap with a carabiner attached to a D-ring on the harness. Harness security was checked before each takeoff during the second rescue checklist.
According to crew interviews, the accident flight was the seventh evolution of the day and the first where the fatally injured crewmember acted as system operator. After restraints were verified secure, the helicopter lifted off and flew to the practice area. While hovering about 100 feet above ground level, the system operator requested and received permission to move to the skid. He stepped onto the skid and subsequently fell. The pilot stated that the crew was not rushing while completing checklists. The pilot landed immediately, and the rescue specialist and safety officer began patient care.
Personnel Information
FAA records show the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, rotorcraft helicopter, and instrument helicopter. His most recent second-class medical certificate was issued in August 2015. He reported 766 total flight hours, including 200 hours in the accident helicopter make and model. His most recent flight review was on March 14, 2016, and his Hoist Class D External Load Designation Certification was completed on June 15, 2016.
The rescue specialist, safety officer, and system operator were all qualified as both system operators and rescue specialists. All three had most recently completed hoist operation training on June 15, 2016.
Aircraft Information
The helicopter received an airworthiness certificate on January 14, 2014, and was registered to the government in November 2014. It was equipped with two Pratt and Whitney Canada PW207D1 engines, each producing 610 shaft horsepower.
The system operator wore an Aerial Machine and Tool Corp. H1037-BL/M full body harness rated to 2,900 pounds. The harness had four tether points (two front, two back), each with a D-ring for attaching a carabiner connected to the helicopter interior.
Meteorological Information
The 1854 recorded weather observation at GED included wind from 060° at 6 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies below 12,000 feet, temperature 28°C, dew point 16°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.07 inches of mercury.
Additional Information
The Essential Hoist Operations Checklists included relevant items: Safety Checklist #1 item 8: "Restraints SECURED"; Rescue Checklist #2 items 5 and 6: "SO & Safety are TETHERED, ANCHORED & DOUBLE CHECKED" and "RS 1 & 2 on restraint." After the accident, the operator modified Rescue Checklist #2 to add an additional check that the Safety Officer and System Operator are tethered and anchored.
Medical and Pathological Information
The FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory performed toxicological testing of the fatally injured crewmember. Fluid and tissue specimens tested negative for ethanol and other drugs.
Tests and Research
An FAA inspector examined the system operator's full body harness and found no evidence of failure or suspicious marks. No webbing, hardware, or stitching damage was noted. Examination of the restraint system secured to the helicopter interior revealed no anomalies, and all hooks and carabiners operated without issue.