St. Mary's LifeFlight - Non-injury incident

Date: 11-22-2008  

Program: St. Mary's LifeFlight

Type: Bell 407
Tail #: N247SM
Operator/Vendor: Air Methods

Weather: Cold, Overcast

Team: Pilot, Mechanic. No injuries reported. No patient. 

Description: 
	On the morning of 11/22/2008, a maintenance check of the air filter
	system was being performed on the aircraft on the helipad at the
	sponsoring hospital. The aircraft was plugged into the GPU by the
	mechanic and then the pilot started the aircraft, ran through the
	checklist, and signaled for the mechanic to unplug the GPU.  The
	mechanic unplugged the GPU and got into the back of the aircraft where
	it was lifted into a hover to complete the test. When they did not get
	the results they were looking for, the aircraft landed, was shutdown,
	and additional adjustments were made.
	
	 On the second start, the aircraft was again plugged up to the GPU,
	the aircraft was started normally, but this time, the mechanic walked
	around to the pilot?s side door to watch the start, which was again
	normal, and then climbed in the back of the aircraft while the pilot
	finished the checklist. They then lifted into a hover to again check
	the filter status. It was not until the aircraft had landed, that they
	both realized that the GPU had still been plugged in when they picked
	up into a hover. 
	
	In debriefing this incident, the pilot stated that he got out of his
	normal routine as he was working with the mechanic during the startup
	procedure which caused him to deviate from normal procedures.  
	
	No injuries or damage to the aircraft or equipment occurred during
	this event.  
	

Source: Jerold W. Blackburn, RN MSN ARNP CNS CEN, Program Director

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