Caravan roof lifted off by air ambulance
The roof of a static caravan was partially lifted off by the downwash of a medivac helicopter as a patient was being airlifted from Arran.
The incident happened as the air ambulance helicopter with two crew on board was lifting off from Sandbraes Park in Whiting Bay. There were no injuries in the incident which happened shortly before 1pm on May 4.
However in a report into the incident, the UK Department for Transport’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) warned: ‘The accident demonstrates the potential for downwash to cause damage during helicopter operations.’
The AAIB said the caravan was ‘close to, but not immediately next to the landing site’, which is also used by the search and rescue Coastguard helicopter and occasionally military helicopters.
The landing site is across the road from the Sandbraes Holiday Park, but it is not clear if the caravan was in the park or elsewhere nearby. Its report into the incident said: ‘The managers of the playing fields were unaware of any previous incidents associated with its use as a helicopter landing site.’
Height
The AAIB said the aircraft reached a height of 210ft – its Take-off Decision Point (TDP) – over the western edge of the landing site before it started to fly east.
Its report stated: ‘Witnesses report that as the helicopter increased power to transition away, part of the roof of a static caravan parked near the landing site to the west lifted, allowing some of the insulation underneath to be blown out.
‘The position of the helicopter at the time as it transitioned into forward flight, combined with the associated increase in applied power, resulted in sufficient downwash affecting the caravan roof to partially lift it.
‘It was not possible to ascertain the condition of the roof before the incident and this may have been a contributing factor.
‘The operator had also surveyed the site as part of its operating procedures and had not identified the caravans as being an issue.
‘As a result of the incident, it was however able to adjust the TDP to a lower height – than 210ft – to reduce the area affected by downwash for future flights.
‘It is important operators remain aware of the potential for damage that may be caused beyond the landing site and ensure their procedures and choice of location take this into account,’ the report concluded.