What happened
On February 12, 2022, an air ambulance helicopter was dispatched to the Åland Islands to respond to a medical emergency involving a person who had fallen. The mission was initially directed to a landing site on Korsö island, but the destination was updated mid-flight to a residential yard on Fiskö island to facilitate direct patient pickup.
Upon approaching the new landing site, the pilot identified a suitable area within a residential yard. During the landing sequence, the pilot transitioned the engines to idle. However, due to partially icy ground, the helicopter began to slide backward across a sloped driveway. The aircraft slid approximately 20 meters before the main rotor blades struck a boat leaning against a shed. The impact caused the fuselage to rotate and strike the shed wall, resulting in significant damage to the rotor blades.
While the pilot and flight attendant were uninjured, the flight nurse sustained back injuries during the impact. Following the accident, a Border Guard helicopter arrived to transport the injured nurse and the original patient to the Mariehamn Central Hospital.
The investigation
The investigation examined the landing site conditions, the aircraft's movement during the transition to idle, and the crew's risk assessment. Investigators looked into the environmental factors, specifically the presence of ice on the landing surface, and the technical aspects of the aircraft's stability during the sliding event. The investigation also reviewed the emergency response coordination and the functionality of emergency positioning services in the Åland region.