From the AP:
No one was injured when a medical helicopter hit a power line while lifting off from the scene of an accident in Council Bluffs.
Pottawattamie County Sheriff Jeff Danker says the helicopter was called to help a man who had fallen off a ladder Wednesday evening.
Danker says the accident happened when the Life Net helicopter was taking off to transport the man to Creighton University Hospital in Omaha.
Danker says the chopper’s tail rotor clipped a power line owned by Mid-American Energy. That caused a loud pop and a blue flame, and sparks from the power line caused a small brush fire.
The chopper landed safely but sustained some damage.
Danker says an ambulance took the fall victim to the hospital.
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looks like someone didn’t look the area over well enough before making this the landing zone
PUCKER FACTOR 5!!! My Sphincter clamped like a vise grip.
Extremely scarey sh!t. Extremely dangerous to those in the helicopter and those doing the L Z. Whoa man!!
Wait, he fell putting up Christmas decorations???? Some might say karma. But seriously, great work by another experienced pilot in a crappy situation. Glad no one was hurt, but definitely shows, as Tom says, need to make sure you give a FULL report to the incoming helicopter!
WHY WAS THE LZ IN SUCH CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THOSE POWER LINES
Excellent item, Dave.
Here is what I added to my blog about this event:
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What I want to point out as the fire AND power guy, is that probably most people there did what the camera guy did: follow the helicopter. It’s louder, more interesting, and presents itself as more threatening. Equally deadly, though, is the power line, which the camera guy eventually figured out was still live and not drawing enough fault current to trip. It might have initially tripped and then got popped on later by the dispatcher. It could be flopping around. Imagine how your attention would have been split if two lightly damaged helipcopters were landing. That is how this should have been treated: Two separate immediately lethal hazards.
Situational awareness keeps you alive. Tunnel vision kills.