Duck attacks Medical Helicopter - Florida

[spenac]

http://www.mysuncoast.com/Global/story.asp...nav=menu577_2_1

Duck strikes Florida medical helicopter

Associated Press - March 7, 2009 11:14 AM ET

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Four people were aboard an emergency medical helicopter when a duck shattered the windshield and landed in the cockpit.

Pilot Don Irving's eye was injured in the collision, but he managed to land safely.

Thursday night, the helicopter was returning to Shands Hospital at the University of Florida carrying an unidentified trauma patient, a flight nurse and a flight paramedic. The copter was flying at an altitude of 700 feet and just a few minutes from the hospital, preparing to land on the rooftop helipad, when the bird flew into the windshield.

The bird clipped off several switches on the overhead instrument panel before landing on the foot of 1 of the medical crew. Irving remained calm and landed on the hospital's helipad.

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/stat...er_crash_030709

Duck crashes in

helicopter cockpit

GAINESVILLE - The pilot of a medical chopper was able to land safely, despite a duck crashing through the windshield and landing in the cockpit.

He was flying to Shand's Hospital in Gainesville when it happened.

The pilot's eye was hurt in the collision, but he managed to land on the hospital's heli-pad anyway.

The duck even clipped off several switches before landing on the foot of one of the onboard medics.

No one else was hurt.

[fireflymedic]

Man, the birds are getting aggressive these days. First the swan in Arkansas attacks, and now duck in FL. Should we start to carry animal control on all flights? Kudos to the pilot for keeping everyone safe.

[Richard B the EMT]

1) Someone enlighten me as to the Swan attack?

2) Don't forget the jetliner that did the "Splash-landing" in the Hudson river, after the Canada Geese flew into the engines. Continued kudos's for Captain "Sully" Sullenberger for that incredible landing with no loss of life of any of the 150 souls aboard.

2-A) Canada Geese, not Canadians. Canadians are a whole bunch friendlier than those damn birds!

[FireMedic65]

Now I don't feel quite so bad for eating that roast duck the other night.

[Chief1C]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9w-3QkGmZ8

Now they're stealing firefighter's footballs'...

[itku2er]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9w-3QkGmZ8

Now they're stealing firefighter's footballs'...

\

open season on ducks? I shoot them YOU COOK them?

[fireflymedic]

Richard - swan attacked a baptist healthcare helicopter in Arkansas. Did such a similar thing that I seriously thought it was the same incident. Flew through the windshield breaking it and hitting the pilot cutting his face. Bird was stuck in the front end of the helicopter. Didn't turn out too well for it.

[Richard B the EMT]

On the ducks fighting the fire fighters: They were protecting their nest, or the birdbrains (the feathered ones, that is) thought the ball was an egg?