Life Flight - Non-injury incident

Date: June 6,2006 2055 MT

Program: Life Flight
	St. Patrick Hospital
	500 W. Broadway
	Missoula, MT 59806

Type: AStar 350 B3
Tail #: N911MT
Operator/Vendor: Metro Aviation

Weather: Clear. Not a factor

Team: No injuries reported. No patient. 

Description: 
	Life Flight had been called to transport a patient from a rural
	hospital.  The landing zone at this hospital is a small parking lot.
	Our policy at this LZ is to have the local ambulance or law
	enforcement stop traffic from  both directions during landings and
	take offs. 
	
	In this incident, the helicopter was in a 20 foot hover preparing to
	land, when a vehicle failed to yield to the ambulance, drove around
	it,  pulled under the tail rotor and stopped.  The helicopter crew
	was unable to observe this car from the aircraft, but the ambulance
	crew quickly called on the radio and the landing was aborted. 
	
	The police immediately intervened and the car was moved. The mission
	was completed without further incident.

Source: Larry Peterman, Chief Flight Nurse