Warbelow's Air Ambulance - Non-injury incident

Date: 11/27/09 2300 AST

Program: Warbelow's Air Ambulance
	PO Box 60649
	Fairbanks, AK 99706

Type: Piper Cheyenne XLII
Tail #: N767DM
Operator/Vendor: Warbelow's Air Ventures, Inc.

Weather: Clear. Not a factor

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

Description: 
	During takeoff, the medical crew members reported an unusual sound
	emanating from the port-side engine.  During climb-out, the pilot
	observed that he was unable to increase torque on the port-side
	engine.  The pilot remained in the traffic pattern for the airport and
	requested permission to return to the field.  The aircraft was landed
	and taxied back to the hangar without incident.

Additional Info: 
	Subsequent investigation found that a microswitch in the propeller
	assembly was out of adjustment and prevented the port-side propeller
	from advancing out of feather.  Maintenance personnel resolved the
	issue and after an uneventful test flight the aircraft was placed back
	into service.
	
	After returning to the hangar, the crew prepared to launch another
	aircraft on the mission.  The weather at the destination rapidly
	deteriorated while preparing a backup aircraft and the flight was
	delayed.  The backup aircraft launched a few hours later on 11/28 to
	pickup the patient and deliver to definitive care.  No adverse patient
	outcome was evident due to the delay.

Source: Mike Branum, Air Ambulance Operations Manager

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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