Cause of 2009 medical helicopter crash released

A medical helicopter crash that killed three people in Georgetown County was caused by the helicopter pilot losing control in stormy weather.
The National Transportation Safety Board, which released its final report Friday, said the pilot, Patrick Walters, chose to fly through storms on Sept. 25, 2009, even though he was told he could stay in Charleston overnight.
The helicopter did not have mechanical problems, but the pilot became disoriented in the storm and the helicopter crashed in the forest near Georgetown County Airport, according to the NTSB.
“Although the pilot encountered an area of deteriorating weather, this did not have to occur as the pilot did not
have to enter the weather and could have returned to Charleston Air Force Base/International Airport or landed at an alternate location,” the report said. “The pilot, however, chose to enter the area of weather, despite the availability of safer options.
“Based on the pilot’s statement to the Savannah-based pilot regarding bad thunderstorms in the area, he was aware of the weather and still chose to fly into it. These cues should have indicated to the pilot that it was not safe to continue flight. This decision-making error played an important causal role in this accident.”
The accident happened after the medical helicopter, based in Conway, made a trip to the Medical University of South Carolina.
The crash killed Walters, nurse Dianna Conners and paramedic Claxton Dove.
The helicopter left Conway at 8:30 p.m. that night to pick up a 10-year-old girl with respiratory distress at Georgetown Memorial Hospital, according to the initial accident report.
The helicopter then made a short journey to the Medical University of South Carolina, landing at 9:35 p.m.
The crew left MUSC at 10:25 p.m., landing for refueling at the Charleston Air Force Base at 10:32 p.m. The helicopter left the Charleston Airport for the last time at 11:02 p.m.
The NTSB report said the helicopter crew encountered some storms as they were traveling to Charleston.
The weather grew worse as the helicopter attempted to return to Conway.
“During the first legs of his flight, the pilot experienced and observed VMC conditions along his route. However, post-accident witness reports and in-flight statements from the accident pilot indicated that the weather in the area had deteriorated since his southbound flight two hours prior.
“According to Omniflight’s Savannah, Georgia, base manager, who was also a pilot operating in the area on the night of the accident, the weather that night was deteriorating but was forecast to remain well above minimums for his flight from Savannah to Greenville, South Carolina, and then to the Medical University of South Carolina.
“The Savannah base manager then advised the accident pilot that he could stay at the Charleston base that night. However, the accident pilot decided to return to his base at Conway-Horry County Airport.”
Based on the investigation, the NTSB ruled that Walters’ decision to fly into inclement weather caused the crash.
“The pilot’s decision to continue the visual flight rules flight into an area of instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the pilot’s spatial disorientation and a loss of control of the helicopter.
“Contributing to the accident was the inadequate oversight of the flight by Omniflight’s Operational Control Center.”

By Kelly Marshall Fuller
kfuller@gtowntimes.com