Avera McKennan Careflight - Non-injury incident

Date: 2 Nov. 2009 1820 CST

Program: Avera McKennan Careflight
	800 E. 21st Street
	Sioux Falls, SD 57117

Type: EC145
Tail #: N911MK
Operator/Vendor: Omniflight Helicopters, Inc

Weather: Clear. Not a factor

Team: Pilot, Flight Nurse, Flight Paramedic. No injuries reported. No patient. 

Description: 
	While enroute to transferring facility to pick up a patient, aircraft
	struck at least two ducks, with one coming through the copilots side
	of the windshield. The duck struck the Medic on the left knee and then
	continued back striking the left side med wall and splattered
	throughout the medical crew area. The medic suffered a small minor cut
	to knee. The aircraft was at 1200 feet AGL.
	

Additional Info: 
	Along with the skill of the pilot, the crew credited the NVG's with
	allowing them to find a suitable place to land, while in the dark
	flying over trees, corn fields, and numerous water filled sloughs.
	Also our dispatch center who was tracking the aircraf through
	Outerlink had emergency personell enroute to the area prior to the
	aircraft touching the ground. Note: NVG training was completed just
	two weeks prior to incident.

Source: Lonny Heinemann, RN Chief Flight Nurse

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
The CONCERN network shares verified information to alert medical transport
programs when an accident / incident has occurred. Please share the above
information with your program staff. If you have further questions, please
contact the CONCERN Coordinator, David Kearns at 800 525 3712 or email:
coordinator@concern-network.org.

Copyright 2007 ASTNA