What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
N851AL privacy data omitted team accepted a patient transport request at 1637HRS (pacific) on may 18, 2022, departing from st. charles medical center in bend, OR. Departure was at 1653PST to enroutse to Christmas Valley Airport (62S), arriving at approximately 1733PST. The pilot terminated the approach to a hover on the taxiway, then hover taxied to the ramp area in ground effect, to rendezvous with privacy data omittedEMS for patient transfer. The ground ambulance was parked (stationary) on the ramp as the helicopter approached at approximately 4.5' AGL. In strong winds, the aircraft attempted to land, a gust of wind appeared to push the aircraft into a nose low - tail high attitude - moving in the direction of the ambulance. The pilot appeared correct to prevent the mrb system from striking the ambulance by manuvering aft, as the aircraft moved aft, another gust of wind (estimated to be 50MPH by the witness) impacted the aircraft broadside. The aircraft then began to yaw drifting east of the intended landing area impacting the ground right skid first (which collapsed and separated from the aircraft) before inverting and coming to rest on its left side on a north east heading. No post crash fire.
Investigation continues
As the FAA filed it
N851AL ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TEAM ACCEPTED A PATIENT TRANSPORT REQUEST AT 1637HRS (PACIFIC) ON MAY 18, 2022, DEPARTING FROM ST. CHARLES MEDICAL CENTER IN BEND, OR. DEPARTURE WAS AT 1653PST TO ENROUTSE TO CHRISTMAS VALLEY AIRPORT (62S), ARRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 1733PST. THE PILOT TERMINATED THE APPROACH TO A HOVER ON THE TAXIWAY, THEN HOVER TAXIED TO THE RAMP AREA IN GROUND EFFECT, TO RENDEZVOUS WITH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^EMS FOR PATIENT TRANSFER. THE GROUND AMBULANCE WAS PARKED (STATIONARY) ON THE RAMP AS THE HELICOPTER APPROACHED AT APPROXIMATELY 4.5' AGL. IN STRONG WINDS, THE AIRCRAFT ATTEMPTED TO LAND, A GUST OF WIND APPEARED TO PUSH THE AIRCRAFT INTO A NOSE LOW - TAIL HIGH ATTITUDE - MOVING IN THE DIRECTION OF THE AMBULANCE. THE PILOT APPEARED CORRECT TO PREVENT THE MRB SYSTEM FROM STRIKING THE AMBULANCE BY MANUVERING AFT, AS THE AIRCRAFT MOVED AFT, ANOTHER GUST OF WIND (ESTIMATED TO BE 50MPH BY THE WITNESS) IMPACTED THE AIRCRAFT BROADSIDE. THE AIRCRAFT THEN BEGAN TO YAW DRIFTING EAST OF THE INTENDED LANDING AREA IMPACTING THE GROUND RIGHT SKID FIRST (WHICH COLLAPSED AND SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT) BEFORE INVERTING AND COMING TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE ON A NORTH EAST HEADING. NO POST CRASH FIRE.
INVESTIGATION CONTINUES
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.