AirLink Critical Care Transport - Non-injury incident

Date: 06-16-2009 1419 pdt

Program: AirLink Critical Care Transport
	2500 NE Neff Rd. 
	Bend, OR 97701

Type: EC145
Tail #: N885AL
Operator/Vendor: Metro Aviation

Weather: Clear. Not a factor

Team: Pilot, flight nurse, flight respiratory therapist. No injuries reported. Patient on board. 

Description: 
	AirLink's EC145 helicopter was enroute to St. Charles Medical Center
	Bend with a patient on board when the #1 engine oil chip caution light
	illuminated.  The helicopter emergency procedure (EP) was followed
	resulting in a successful "fuzz burn" elimination of the cause of the
	caution, and the flight continued.  Approximately two minutes later
	the #1 engine oil chip caution illuminated again and would not
	extinguish with the EP-guided second "fuzz burn".  The pilot shut down
	the #1 engine in accordance with the EP and conducted an uneventful
	single engine landing on a primary runway at nearby Redmond Airport. 
	An emergency was not declared, however the tower dispatched field
	rescue vehicles to attend the helicopter landing.  A local EMS ground
	service met the helicopter with an ambulance and safely completed the
	transport of patient and medical attendants.

Additional Info: 
	The aircraft was placed out of service while maintenance engineers
	performed inspection of the #1 engine.  Minor metal contamination was
	found on one of the magnetic plugs.  This and oil samples have been
	sent to a laboratory for analysis.  The aircraft was returned to
	service following maintenance procedures, as recommended by the engine
	manufacturer

Source: Dan Streck, Director

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