AN EMS PLT ON AN EMER MISSION LOST PART OF HIS COWLING IN FLT. HE LANDED; INSPECTED HIS ACFT; AND CONTINUED HIS MISSION.

Narrative

WHILE ENRTE FROM AN OUTLYING HOSPITAL TO THE HOME BASE HOSPITAL; A LOUD 'BANG' WAS HEARD BY MYSELF AND THE MEDICAL CREW. I RADIOED THE HOSPITAL AND STATE RADIO TO INFORM THEM OF THE PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. THE SMA HELI WAS LANDED AND SHUT DOWN. THE CTLS FELT NORMAL DURING THE APCH AND TOUCHDOWN. I FOUND THAT THE L COWLING DOOR HAD SEPARATED. THE ONLY OTHER DAMAGE WAS A SMALL DENT AND A SCRATCH ON L SIDE OF FUSELAGE. I DECIDED TO FLY THE HELI BACK AT A REDUCED AIRSPD TO THE HOME BASE HOSPITAL WHICH WAS 31 MI AWAY. THE DECISION WAS BASED ON THE FOLLOWING: I DETERMINED IT WAS SAFE TO FLY. I WAS UNABLE TO REACH ANYONE AT MY COMPANY TO HELP WITH THE DECISION. THE DAY WX WAS CLR. WE HAD A CRITICAL PATIENT ON BOARD. (THE PATIENT EXPIRED 2 HRS AFTER ARR AT THE HOSPITAL). THE CTLS HAD FELT NORMAL AND THE HELI FLEW SMOOTHLY DURING THE ENTIRE INCIDENT. I FLEW THE HELI BACK TO THE HOME BASE HOSPITAL WHERE THE PATIENT AND MEDICAL CREW WERE DROPPED OFF. I THEN FLEW THE HELI TO THE COMPANY HEADQUARTERS WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE ARPT ABOUT 2 MI FROM THE HOSPITAL. AFTER CONSIDERING ALL OF THE OPTIONS SUCH AS TIME FOR GND AMBULANCE DISPATCH AND ARR; PATIENT TIME AWAY FROM HOSPITAL ENVIRONMENT AND HELI CONDITION; I DECIDED TO CONTINUE THE FLT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE FAA DID A FOLLOW-UP INVESTIGATION AND A COWLING LATCH FAILURE WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT AND THE PLT PERFORMED SATISFACTORILY.