The FAA is proposing a $1.54 million civil penalty for Denver-based Air Methods Corp. for a total of 83 passenger flights over water around Pensacola that did not follow FAA safety regulations.
The Eurocopter EC-130 helicopters, which service southern Alabama, southern Mississippi and the Florida Panhandle, operated without flotation devices or other gear for each passenger. In 70 of those flights, helicopters also operated beyond gliding distance from shore.
Baptist Health Care and Sacred Heart Health System both contract with Air Methods for hospital-to-hospital transfers and for emergency transfers to trauma centers.
"We were not aware of the issue," Baptist spokesperson Carmela Cook said.
Sacred Heart's AIRHeart helicopter ambulance service flights are "conducted by, and operational control over all aircraft is exercised solely by Air Methods Corp.," the hospital said in a statement. "AIRHeart does not fly the Eurocopter ED-130 helicopters that are the subject of the FAA allegations."
Air Methods operates 300 bases in 48 states.
"Air Methods is investigating these allegations, and the FAA has our full cooperation in the matter," said Mike Allen, president of Air Methods in a statement. "We take safety seriously and the safe return of our crews (and the patients we serve) is and always will be our highest priority ... In 2013, Air Methods became the first air medical provider and helicopter operator to achieve the highest level within the FAA's voluntary Safety Management System program."
A helicopter operated by Air Methods crashed March 6 while approaching St. Louis University Hospital in St. Louis, Mo., killing the commercial pilot who was the sole occupant.
Original article can be found here: http://www.pnj.com
No comments:
Post a Comment