What happened
On August 6, 2020, a crew operating a seasonal medical rescue base in Koszalin was dispatched to Darłowo to attend to a medical emergency. Upon locating the patient's address, the crew requested that the Darłowo Fire Department secure a landing site. While the flight to the destination proceeded without issue, the crew was unable to establish radio communication with the Fire Department on the designated coordination channel.
Upon arrival in Darłowo, the crew identified a town square, secured by the Fire Department and Police, as a suitable landing site. After assessing the area, the pilot proceeded with the landing. Following the touchdown, the medical team attended to the patient, while the pilot moved toward a nearby restaurant terrace.
During the landing operations, emergency services (Fire Department, Police, and Municipal Guard) attempted to clear the area by instructing individuals to move to a safe distance. However, difficulties arose regarding the retraction of restaurant umbrellas and an awning located on the terrace. The downwash from the landing EC 135P2+ caused the awning to fail, resulting in an injury to a restaurant staff member. The injured person sustained a superficial head wound and was transported via the helicopter to a hospital in Koszalin.
The investigation
The PKBWL examined the sequence of events, focusing on the coordination between the flight crew and ground emergency services, as well as the physical conditions of the landing site. The investigation looked into the failure of radio communications and the specific actions taken by ground personnel to secure the area prior to the helicopter's arrival.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the inability to retract the restaurant awning and the failure of the injured person to move to a safe distance as instructed by ground services.
- A contributing factor was the lack of effective radio communication between the helicopter crew and the ground security units.