• Daniel A Handel and Thomas R Yackel.
• Center for Policy and Research in Emergency Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA. handeld@ohsu.edu
• Air Med. J. 2011 May 1; 30 (3): 149-52.

IntroductionPrevious studies within the aeromedical literature have looked at factors associated with fatal outcomes in helicopter medical transport, but no analysis has been conducted on fixed-wing aeromedical flights. The purpose of this study was to look at fatality rates in fixed-wing aeromedical transport and compare them with general aviation and helicopter aeromedical flights.MethodsThis study looked at factors associated with fatal outcomes in fixed-wing aeromedical flights, using the National Transportation Safety Board Aviation Accident Incident Database from 1984 to 2009.ResultsFatal outcomes were significantly higher in medical flights (35.6 vs. 19.7%), with more aircraft fires (20.3 vs. 10.5%) and on-ground collisions (5.1 vs. 2.0%) compared with commercial flights. Aircraft fires occurred in 12 of the 21 fatal crashes (57.1%), compared with only 2 of the 38 nonfatal crashes (5.3%) (P < .001). In the multiple logistic regression model, the only factor with increased odds of a fatal outcome was the presence of a fire (56.89; 95% CI, 4.28-808.23).ConclusionsSimilar to published studies in helicopter medical transport, postcrash fires are the primary factor associated with fatal outcomes in fixed-wing aeromedical flights.Copyright © 2011 Air Medical Journal Associates. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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