Air Ambulance crash in Kansas (DDC)

[Jigga]

An EagleMed KingAir 90 (N777KU) crashed this morning around 3am about 3 mi from the airport (DDC). Not much info out yet, but wx was clear and 7-10sm. Pilot was Brandon Bow.

Sad news, as they have a great bunch of pilots.

http://www1.faa.gov/avr/aai/B_0217_N.txt

 

[350DRIVER]

Pretty sad to read about these sorts of accidents, in a past life I did a lot of med flights for the Cleveland Clinic. 90 is a very reliable bird, should be interesting to see what is found...

God bless the family and friends of the pilot/pax at such a trying time.

3 5 0

 

[mar]

The Big Three

As I'm sure you're aware, statistically speaking, the biggest killers are:

1) Continued VFR into IMC/CFIT
2) Fuel management/starvation/exhaustion
3) Stall/spin

If the weather was clear and 7 to 10 miles then it's probably not #1. Although there wasn't much of a moon last night so I'm not sure how much of a horizon he would've had.

That leaves #2 and #3.

It could be something else, of course, but it's scary how often the usual suspects keep popping up.

Fly safe.

 

[350DRIVER]

mar,

With all due respect I think it is safe to say he was highly qualified and proven to fly that plane. I would not jump to conclusions and start the blame game with as little as you know about this accident... I am sure a MX issue never crossed your mind...


3 5 0

 

[350DRIVER]

Three EagleMed crew members die in plane crash near Dodge City


Three crew members aboard an EagleMed air ambulance died early Tuesday when their plane crashed in a field near Dodge City.

It was the second fatal crash of a small plane in western Kansas in two days. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating both accidents.

The Kansas Highway Patrol said the 1968 Beech King Air 90 crashed about 3 a.m. today in a field three miles west of Dodge City. Investigators said the plane's origin and destination were not immediately clear. The names of the victims have yet to be released. No patient was on board.

A single-engine 1977 Cessna 182Q crashed Monday afternoon in a field northwest of Rozel in Pawnee County. Killed in that accident was Carl Johnson, 60, of Pratt.

 

[mar]

Of course it crossed my mind

I quote myself: <<It could be something else, of course...>>

Look man, I'm not placing blame. Maybe I am jumping to conclusions but things happen in patterns, you know?

That's why experience is so important. The more experience you have the sooner you can recognize the pattern and stop it before it gets out of hand.

I'll be the first to hang from the Big Three Crucifix of Shame.

I've committed every single one of those sins and now it's gotten to the point that when things start to get dicey I can sort of just run down a checklist real quick in my head:

--Are we VFR in IMC?
--Are we off airway?
--Are we not following SOP or IAP?
--Do we have enough fuel to bug out?
--Is the alternate viable or just a paper alternate?
--How much ice has adhered?
--Have we taken a performance hit due to ice?

I happen to look at every accident as a lesson. A tragedy for sure but it's not my loss (usually). I try to make it my gain.

I make no comment on his qualifications. I've been qualified on every airplane I nearly balled up.

But I guess this is really the point: There are those that have and those that will.

Some never will. But I don't think I'm that good--or lucky.

We'll see what happend.

 

[singlespeed]

I was out in HYS (Hays Ks) yesterday flying our C-90. From what I had heard he canceled IFR over flew the airport and crashed 7-10 miles from the airport. I am just speculating but he had flown all night and this was the last trip home. It doesn’t make sense but maybe he fell went to sleep due to fatigue.

777KU I think that our old CP one time told be that this was our a/c and was sold in the 90’s. I had run into the pilot several times at FBO’s and he seemed like a sharp guy. My condolences go out to the victims and familes.

 

[mar]

Preliminary report

NTSB Identification: CHI04FA066
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, February 17, 2004 in Dodge City, KS
Aircraft: Beech BE-B90, registration: N777KU
Injuries: 3 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On February 17, 2004, at 0256 central standard time, a Beech BE-B90, N777KU, operated by Ballard Aviation Inc., was destroyed when it impacted the terrain approximately 5 nautical miles northwest of the Dodge City Regional Airport (DDC), Dodge City, Kansas. The 14 CFR Part 91 positioning flight departed the Wichita Mid-Continental Airport (ITC), Wichita, Kansas, at 0210 and was en route to DDC. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight was on an IFR flight plan, but the pilot had cancelled the IFR flight plan approximately 37 miles east of DDC and proceeded under visual flight rules. The pilot, flight nurse, and flight paramedic received fatal injuries.

 

[moving2vegas]

Jigga

Might be a little more professional to pull the pilots name from your post. If he was my friend I would rather learn of the tragedy from a loved one, not this forum.

 

[350DRIVER]

Might be a little more professional to pull the pilots name from your post. If he was my friend I would rather learn of the tragedy from a loved one, not this forum.

I would assume that by this point most if not all family and friends have been notified, just a wild guess though. The FAA/media usually does not release the names until this happens.

3 5 0

 

[singlespeed]

I talked to a person out in western KS today. He said the a/c went under power lines clipped the tail missed the top of a farmhouse and crashed in their backyard. The noise of the plane woke the occupants. It pretty much went down on a flat angle. It leads me to believe that he fell asleep due to fatigue.