HAI Safety Symposium analyzes 2019 Survival Flight crash and lessons learned

HAI@Work webinar focuses on the value of a strong safety culture in preventing accidents. On Jan. 29, 2019, a Survival Flight air ambulance Bell 407 crashed four miles northeast of Zaleski, Ohio, after entering inadvertent instrument meteorological conditions (IIMC), killing three. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) ultimately cited the operator’s “inadequate management of safety” as the primary probable cause. The factors contributing to the accident are eye-opening and offer a great deal of insight into the importance of maintaining a strong safety culture and how to develop one. At the HAI@Work webinar on May 6, experts from NTSB and other safety-focused organizations, including HAI, analyzed the accident as part of the annual HAI Safety Symposium. Typically held at HAI HELI-EXPO® and jointly produced by HAI, the FAA, and the NTSB, the symposium examines safety trends in the helicopter industry. The panelists at last week’s webinar included: Matt Cabak, Team Lead, Office of Accident Investigation and Prevention, FAA Clint Johnson, Chief, Alaska Region, NTSB Rick Kenin, Chief Operating Officer—Transport, Boston MedFlight, and Chair, HAI Safety Working Group Matt Rigsby, Air Safety Investigator, Office of Accident Investigation and Prevention, FAA Shaun Williams, Senior Aviation Accident Investigator, Central Region, NTSB. Williams began