Choctaw Indian Hosp Helipad Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Talihina, Oklahoma 74571
Tuesady, June 11, 2013 18:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On June 11, 2013, at 1830 central daylight time, N935EM, a Eurocopter AS350B2 helicopter, operating as EagleMed 35, was substantially damaged after impacting terrain during takeoff at Choctaw Indian Hospital Heliport (OK35), Talihina, Oklahoma. A small postimpact fire ensued. The passenger was fatally injured, the flight nurse was seriously injured, and the pilot and flight paramedic sustained minor injuries. The helicopter was registered to JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio, and was operated by EagleMed, LLC, Wichita, Kansas. Day visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident and a company visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan had been filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 emergency medical service flight. The helicopter was destined for St. Francis Hospital Heliport (4OK3), Tulsa, Oklahoma. When EagleMed 35 landed at OK35 another helicopter had just landed and was occupying the single space helipad surface. EagleMed 35 landed and shut down on the asphalt surface of a road adjacent to the helipad. The first helicopter departed at 1728 and EagleMed 35 remained parked on the road for the next hour. According to the pilot, after the passenger and medical crew were loaded into the helicopter, he began a normal takeoff from a hover, and intended to follow the center of the road in a westbound direction. When the helicopter was 175 feet west from the takeoff location, the left side of the rotor blade disk impacted a 41 foot tall metal light pole which was located on the left side of the road. Control of the helicopter was lost and the helicopter came to rest on its right side about 230 feet from the takeoff position.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/11/2013
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1830
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Talihina
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 74571
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 344514N
Event Location Longitude 0950501W
Event Location Airport Choctaw Indian Hosp Helipad
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OK35
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 890
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) --
NTSB Notification Source FAA ASW ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 18 2013 9:52AM
User who most recently changed record latt
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N935EM
NTSB Number CEN13FA344
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name EUROCOPTER
Aircraft Model AS350B2
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 7427
Certified Max Gross Weight 4961
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 4
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C126
Aircraft Owner Name JPMORGAN CHASE BANK NA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1111 POLARIS PKWY STE A3
Aircraft Owner City COLUMBUS
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 43240-2031
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name EAGLEMED LLC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6601 PUEBLO DRIVE
Operator City WICHITA
Operator State KS
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 67209
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code OK35
Departure City Talihina
Departure State OK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1830
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 4OK3
Destination City Tulsa
Destination State OK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 17 2013 11:41PM
User who most recently changed record latt
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight Yes
Medical Flight Medical Emergency