In January 2019, a deadly air ambulance crash had killed the entire crew. The cause of the crash was harsh weather conditions. It has now been reported that the crash was due to lax safety procedures in place. The service provider in question is Survival Flight. The report comes from the federal investigators who have been looking into the cause of the air ambulance crash. The National Transportation Safety Board has alleged that the company had inadequately managed safety. Moreover, the service provider had not conducted adequate risk analysis before taking up the flight.
The Air Ambulance had Crashed in South Eastern Ohio
It is believed that, at least, two air ambulance service providers had refused to carry the patient who was in an emergency health condition. The cause was poor weather conditions marked by heavy snowing and consequent poor visibility. It is believed that the inclement weather condition was the primary reason for the crash. The medical flight had crashed into the heavily wooded hillside and had broken into several pieces. The pilot Jennifer Topper and crew members Rachel Cunningham and Bradley Haynes were instantly killed. They were 34, 33, and 48 years old respectively.
Was the Flight Undertaken by Flouting Rules?
It must be understood that it is not illegal to fly an air ambulance when it is snowing lightly; however, it is not authorized to fly when the visibility is poor due to heavy snowing, which inhibits the pilot from having a clear view of the ground. Besides, there is a risk of air ambulance freezing. It is believed that, in this case, the poor visibility had led the pilot to undertake some abrupt maneuvers and had resulted in the crash. The incident stands evidence to the fact that some service providers flout the rules in the interest of either helping the patients or making the ends meet.
