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Multiple Human Errors Cited in Maryland Aviation Accident Involving Medevac that Crashed, Killing Four

By Jack Lebowitz, Esq. and Vadim Mzhen, Esq.

According to federal transportation safety officials, multiple human errors contributed to the Maryland medevac crash that claimed the lives of four people in Prince George?s County on September 27, 2008. One of the people who died was 17-year-old Ashley Young, one of the Maryland car accident victims with low-level injuries who was being flown to a hospital. The other Waldorf, Maryland car crash victim, 19-year-old Jordan Wells, survived the Maryland medevac accident has undergone over 20 surgeries.

The helicopter Trooper 2, had bypassed Prince George's Hospital Center because of fog. It crashed in Walker Mill Regional Park.

According to investigators, air traffic controllers were not very helpful, not paying proper attention, and sloppy. The troopers who were monitoring the air rescue did not realize in a timely enough manner that the chopper was lost and did not conduct a thorough enough search. However, pilot error is considered the probable cause of the helicopter accident.

The National Transportation Safety Board says pilot Stephen Bunker brought the helicopter down too fast, crashing into the ground. The board says the 59-year-old may not have had the skills to safely land the chopper when having to rely solely on aircraft instruments during poor visibility.

Bunker, volunteer medical Tonya Mallard, and paramedic Mickey Lippy also died in the Maryland medevac accident.

Aviation Accident Lawsuits
Plane crashes, helicopter accidents, and commercial airliner collisions seldom leave survivors. When anyone does survive such a catastrophic accident, the injuries are usually quite serious.

Pilot error, aircraft malfunction or defect, air traffic control negligence, ground crew mistakes, and poor weather conditions are some causes of plane crashes.

Extensive failures found in medevac crash, Washington Post, October 28, 2009

NTSB: Several factors contributed to fatal Md. medevac crash, Baltimore Sun, October 27, 2009

Related Web Resources:
National Transportation Safety Board

Medevac Helicopter Crash Kills 4 in Maryland, Fox/AP, September 28, 2009

Contact our Maryland injury law firm for your free case evaluation.

Full post as published by Maryland Accident Law Blog on November 10, 2009 (boomark / email).