Sunday, March 09, 2014

Medical helicopter makes precautionary landing: Port Bucyrus-Crawford County Airport (17G), Bucyrus, Ohio

BUCYRUS — A Cleveland Clinic Air Ambulance made a precautionary landing at Port Bucyrus-Crawford County Airport Friday night.

According to Bucyrus Police Chief David Koepke, there were three members of the flight crew on board, along with the pilot, and no one was injured.

Koepke said Capt. Gordon Grove of the Bucyrus Fire Department reported that approximately 5 miles east of the Bucyrus airport, an alarm light came on in the helicopter, requiring it to land.

Although the Bucyrus Fire Department initially reported discoloration was spotted on the fuselage and that a fire broke out in the helicopter’s engine compartment, Brad Deutser with PHI Air Medical in Houston said there was no fire on the aircraft at any point.

“There was no damage to the helicopter at all. It was not an emergency landing, but what we call an unscheduled precautionary landing. The helicopter made a safe landing that was uneventful. We’re not sure why the light was illuminated,” Deutser said.

The air ambulance was heading to Mansfield when the incident happened, and no passenger was aboard. Deutser said the aircraft was bound for a hospital in Richland County, but said he didn’t have the specifics. He said he believed a second helicopter completed the flight.

There were no vehicular crashes resulting in injury overnight Friday in Richland County. OhioHealth Medcentral Mansfield Hospital was unavailable for comment Saturday.

“In rural areas, we are fortunate to have emergency flight service for critical patients from a variety of major hospitals. When they fly over loud and fast it is easy to take for granted the intensity, stress and danger that the med flight crews and pilots face. We are thankful for their service,” Koepke said.

Deutser said maintenance workers from the company were en route early Saturday morning to Port Bucyrus to investigate the cause of the precautionary landing.

Story and comments/reaction:  http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com

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