Bell 206 N469AE

Summary

On 12 February 2022 at about 05:12 local time, a Bell 206 registered N469AE, operated by Air Evac Lifeteam, was involved in an accident near Eldorado, Illinois, United States. 4 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 February 2022 at 05:12

Classification

Accident

Location

Eldorado, Illinois, United States

Coordinates

37.8175, -88.4420

Aircraft

Bell 206

Registration

N469AE

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2016

Operator

Air Evac Lifeteam

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

El Dorado → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN22LA122

1 person was seriously injured.

Overheating of two lithium batteries in the paramedic’s flight suit pocket resulting in an explosion and fire that seriously injured the paramedic as the helicopter was about to take off.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that the helicopter was about to take off with a flight nurse, paramedic, and a patient onboard when she noticed a flash and flame reflection on the front left windscreen immediately followed by screams and the cabin filling with smoke. The pilot immediately reduced the throttle, pulled the fuel shutoff valve, and applied full rotor brake. The paramedic on board’s flight suit was on fire. The flight nurse on board managed to open the helicopter’s right-side door, unbuckle the paramedic, and pull her from the helicopter. The flight nurse extinguished the flames, called for additional help, and began cutting away the burned flight jacket and flight suit from the paramedic. In the paramedic’s left chest flight suit pocket were keys and a burnt lithium battery. The nurse reported that when she went to remove the battery to prevent further injury to the paramedic, the battery was extremely hot and smoking, and burned her hand. She threw the battery to the ground and continued to render care to the paramedic. Later two burnt lithium batteries lying on the ground next to the helicopter’s left skid were recovered. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. The operator’s parent company issued a safety alert to all of its air and ground ambulance companies warning of the dangers of improperly carrying or storing loose lithium and lithium-ion batteries used in personal electronic devices.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.