Hearings to Address Medical Helicopter Safety

February 3, 2009

When a medical helicopter crashed near Chicago in October, killing three adults and a baby, it was more than a tragedy. It was part of a trend. The crash was the ninth fatal accident nationwide in an 11-month period; a total of 35 people died.

But the Chicago accident, like others preceding it, might have been prevented. The helicopter, which had clipped the support wire of a radio station tower while flying at night, lacked up-to-date safety equipment like a device to alert the pilot to towers and other nearby obstacles.

Hoping to reduce medical helicopters’ poor safety record, the National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday will begin four days of hearings in Washington. There, safety advocates are expected to demand a crackdown on the medical helicopter industry, a fast-growing and loosely regulated business with annual revenues estimated at more than $2.5 billion.

Read Article: New York Times

Posted By: Phoenix DUI Attorney