Disorientation After Dark

摘要

The pilot's spatial disorientation after an inadvertent entry into dark night instrument meteorological conditions was responsible for the loss of control and in-flight break-up of a Bell 206L-1 LongRanger on an emergency medical services (EMS) positioning flight in Walnut Grove, Arkansas, U.S., the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) says.The pilot, flight nurse and flight paramedic were killed in the crash at 0355 local time on Aug. 31, 2010. The main rotor and tail boom separated from the helicopter, operated by Air Evac EMS, before it struck the ground in an area of "forested and rolling terrain" at an elevation of about 585 ft above mean sea level (MSL), 3.5 nm (6.5 km) south of the intended landing site.