Air Evac EMS, Inc. - Non-injury incident

Date: 04/08/09 01:00 CST

Program: Air Evac EMS, Inc.
	306 Davis Drive
	West Plains, MO 65775

Type: Bell 206 L3
Tail #: N295AE
Operator/Vendor: Air Evac EMS, Inc.

Weather: Clear. Not a factor

Team: pilot, flight nurse, flight paramedic. No injuries reported. Patient on board. 

Description: 
	On 04/08/2009 a company aircraft responded to provide an interfacility
	transport in Central Texas. The last leg of the flight departed with a
	patient on board at 00:35 central time. The flight proceeded
	uneventfully until 01:00 at which time the pilot reported a possible
	bird strike and made a precautionary landing in a small field. Prior
	to landing, the pilot reported hearing and feeling a loud prolonged
	?thud? during cruise flight at 1000? AGL and 110 kts. The airframe
	?wallowed? laterally and he felt resistance in the flight control
	(cyclic) followed by all control returning to normal. His post flight
	inspection revealed the left hand vertical winglet on the horizontal
	stabilizer was missing. It apparently had impacted the lower vertical
	fin causing minor damage to the leading edge up to the honeycomb. None
	of the crew or passengers sustained any injuries. The patient was
	transferred on to recieving facility by ground ambulance. The aircraft
	was grounded and released to maintenance, and the NTSB and FAA were
	notified. 
	

Source: Seth Myers, President

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