‘Disoriented’ Pensacola woman drives circles around medivac helicopter, crashes into it

‘Disoriented’ Pensacola woman drives circles around medivac helicopter, crashes into it

An 82-year-old Pensacola woman became “disoriented” and crashed into a medivac helicopter Tuesday afternoon, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

A release from the FHP said the accident took place about 1 p.m. Thursday, just after a ShandsCair-6 medivac helicopter transporting a trauma patient had just landed at Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola.

Shortly after shutting down the helicopter and moving the patient inside the trauma center, the 82-year-old, driving a minivan, drove onto the helicopter landing pad.

“While attempting to drive a circle around the helicopter,” the release said, “the driver’s van collided with its left rear into the rear of the helicopter’s tail rotor.”

No one was injured in the incident and the helicopter was inspected before resuming flight operations.