Blackmac Posted May 29, 2008 Report Posted May 29, 2008 Medical copter hits hospital; 2 hurtStory Highlights NEW: Pilot, passenger listed in stable condition after escaping fiery wreck NEW: Surgeries postponed; generator provides power after crash Copter was practicing approaches, FAA spokeswoman says Patients, employees evacuated from Grand Rapids, Michigan, building Next Article in U.S. » GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan (AP) -- A medical helicopter practicing approaches crashed on the roof of a hospital Thursday, catching fire moments after the two people on board escaped with minor injuries, a fire official said. Heavy smoke rises from the roof of a Grand Rapids, Michigan, hospital after a helicopter crashed there. The pilot and passenger were in stable condition, said Richard Breon, president and CEO of Spectrum Health. No patients were aboard the chopper, which crashed about 11 a.m. on a helipad atop Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital. The helicopter landed on its side, and the two people got out before it caught fire, Fire Chief John VanSolkema said. "There's not a whole lot left, but you can tell it was a helicopter," VanSolkema said. Watch smoke blow past tower cam » Elizabeth Isham Cory, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration in Chicago, said the helicopter was practicing approaches at the time of the crash. Patients were temporarily evacuated to other buildings on the Spectrum Health campus. iReport.com: Dark smoke rises from rooftop All surgeries at the hospital were temporarily canceled but were expected to resume later Thursday, spokesman Bruce Rossman said. Patients were evacuated from several floors of the hospital but were returned to their rooms later in the day. None was injured, Rossman said. A backup generator restored electricity, which went out after the Aero Med helicopter crash. Kelli Wiltjer, a student aide in a Drug Enforcement Administration office nearby, said she looked out the window as the crash happened. "The nose of the helicopter was kind of up, and it almost looked like it was turning around, and then it dropped real fast," she said. "Pieces were flying in the air" after the impact, said Wiltjer, 23. Another witness was watching from her office in the nearby College of Nursing at Grand Valley State University, when she saw the helicopter come in from the south. "We were standing here at the window ... and about five minutes later, we saw the black smoke," said Cheryl Borgman, 58. "It was just a big huge billow of black smoke." Spectrum Health Butterworth, in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids, is part of the largest campus of Spectrum Health, a nonprofit health care system based in western Michigan. Butterworth Hospital is the only Level 1 trauma center in western Michigan. The hospital's emergency room was closed as a result of Thursday's crash, and patients in need of emergency medical treatment were sent to other hospitals. E-mail to a friend Quote
212wrench Posted May 30, 2008 Report Posted May 30, 2008 I am sorry even though you guys have made some good points, the only way to get rid of the fire is get rid of the gas. Quote
Over-Talk Posted May 30, 2008 Report Posted May 30, 2008 More sad news about helicopter accidents and fires............ May 30, 2008 PANAMA CITY: A helicopter crashed into a building in a busy central district of Panama City on Thursday, killing at least 11 people including Chile's federal police chief. A witness who was driving by the scene at the time of the crash said the helicopter exploded when it hit the building. Quote
Auto Relight Posted May 30, 2008 Report Posted May 30, 2008 I am sorry even though you guys have made some good points, the only way to get rid of the fire is get rid of the gas. Not true. While a large enough accident will, as you say, always produce fire, it's the otherwise survivable accidents that I'm concerned about. The ones where the occupants are alive, banged up, but otherwise OK. Fire breaks out far to easily, and it doesn't have to. AR Quote
Elvis Posted May 31, 2008 Report Posted May 31, 2008 More sad news about helicopter accidents and fires............ May 30, 2008 PANAMA CITY: A helicopter crashed into a building in a busy central district of Panama City on Thursday, killing at least 11 people including Chile's federal police chief. A witness who was driving by the scene at the time of the crash said the helicopter exploded when it hit the building. Given who one of the passengers was I wonder if it was really an accident. Quote
Elvis Posted May 31, 2008 Report Posted May 31, 2008 Medical copter hits hospital; 2 hurtStory Highlights NEW: Pilot, passenger listed in stable condition after escaping fiery wreck NEW: Surgeries postponed; generator provides power after crash Copter was practicing approaches, FAA spokeswoman says Patients, employees evacuated from Grand Rapids, Michigan, building Next Article in U.S. » GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan (AP) -- A medical helicopter practicing approaches crashed on the roof of a hospital Thursday, catching fire moments after the two people on board escaped with minor injuries, a fire official said. Heavy smoke rises from the roof of a Grand Rapids, Michigan, hospital after a helicopter crashed there. The pilot and passenger were in stable condition, said Richard Breon, president and CEO of Spectrum Health. No patients were aboard the chopper, which crashed about 11 a.m. on a helipad atop Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital. The helicopter landed on its side, and the two people got out before it caught fire, Fire Chief John VanSolkema said. "There's not a whole lot left, but you can tell it was a helicopter," VanSolkema said. Watch smoke blow past tower cam » Elizabeth Isham Cory, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration in Chicago, said the helicopter was practicing approaches at the time of the crash. Patients were temporarily evacuated to other buildings on the Spectrum Health campus. iReport.com: Dark smoke rises from rooftop All surgeries at the hospital were temporarily canceled but were expected to resume later Thursday, spokesman Bruce Rossman said. Patients were evacuated from several floors of the hospital but were returned to their rooms later in the day. None was injured, Rossman said. A backup generator restored electricity, which went out after the Aero Med helicopter crash. Kelli Wiltjer, a student aide in a Drug Enforcement Administration office nearby, said she looked out the window as the crash happened. "The nose of the helicopter was kind of up, and it almost looked like it was turning around, and then it dropped real fast," she said. "Pieces were flying in the air" after the impact, said Wiltjer, 23. Another witness was watching from her office in the nearby College of Nursing at Grand Valley State University, when she saw the helicopter come in from the south. "We were standing here at the window ... and about five minutes later, we saw the black smoke," said Cheryl Borgman, 58. "It was just a big huge billow of black smoke." Spectrum Health Butterworth, in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids, is part of the largest campus of Spectrum Health, a nonprofit health care system based in western Michigan. Butterworth Hospital is the only Level 1 trauma center in western Michigan. The hospital's emergency room was closed as a result of Thursday's crash, and patients in need of emergency medical treatment were sent to other hospitals. E-mail to a friend Who's correct The news says two SOB the FAA says one SOB IDENTIFICATION Regis#: 176SH Make/Model: S76 Description: S-76, H-76, AUH-76, Spirit, Eagle (HE-24 Date: 05/29/2008 Time: 1500 Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Minor Mid Air: N Missing: N Damage: Destroyed LOCATION City: GRAND RAPIDS State: MI Country: US DESCRIPTION AIRCRAFT CRASHED DURING TAKEOFF, GRAND RAPIDS, MI INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0 # Crew: 1 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 1 Unk: # Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk: # Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk: WEATHER: VFR OTHER DATA Activity: Training Phase: Take-off Operation: Other FAA FSDO: GRAND RAPIDS, MI (GL09) Entry date: 05/30/2008 Quote
Batfink Posted June 5, 2008 Report Posted June 5, 2008 Who's correct The News is correct - 2 on board - Aero Med Pilot (Whom I know very well) and an FAA inspector. Both injured - Pilot was still in hospital Tuesday. FAA Inspector treated and released same day. Cheers The news says two SOB the FAA says one SOB IDENTIFICATION Regis#: 176SH Make/Model: S76 Description: S-76, H-76, AUH-76, Spirit, Eagle (HE-24 Date: 05/29/2008 Time: 1500 Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Minor Mid Air: N Missing: N Damage: Destroyed LOCATION City: GRAND RAPIDS State: MI Country: US DESCRIPTION AIRCRAFT CRASHED DURING TAKEOFF, GRAND RAPIDS, MI INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0 # Crew: 1 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 1 Unk: # Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk: # Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk: WEATHER: VFR OTHER DATA Activity: Training Phase: Take-off Operation: Other FAA FSDO: GRAND RAPIDS, MI (GL09) Entry date: 05/30/2008 Quote
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