More detail on this person: Carmel man killed
in medical chopper crash
Aurora, IL - A medical helicopter taking a
1-year-old girl to a Chicago hospital apparently
clipped a radio tower wire before crashing and
burning in field, killing all four aboard, and
federal authorities were investigating Thursday
whether the tower's lights were on at the time.
The victims included a Carmel, Ind., crewman. It
was the sixth fatal crash involving medical
helicopters this year, according to federal data.
The helicopter carrying 1-year-old Kirstian
Blockinger of Leland, Ill., was headed for
Children's Memorial Hospital from Valley West
Hospital in Sandwich when it went down minutes
before midnight, said Aurora police spokesman Sgt.
Rob Wallers.
John Brannen with the National Air Transportation
Safety Board said the helicopter apparently
clipped the radio tower support wire before the
crash. A snapped wire could be seen hanging from
the 734-foot tower that stands across a busy road
from the crash site.
Brannen said the helicopter was flying about 50
feet below the top of the tower when the wire was
clipped. He said NTSB was investigating whether
lights on the tower were on at the time or could
have been knocked out during the incident.
"I can say that when I was out here last night
after the accident that the lights on the tower
were not lit," Brannen said Thursday.
Children's Memorial Hospital spokeswoman Julie
Pesch initially said the child was being
transported to the hospital because of epileptic
seizures. She later said she could not reveal the
reason for the transport because of privacy rules.
The child was en route to the Chicago hospital
after a closer hospital indicated there was no
room for her there. The crash occurred before the
helicopter would have reached either hospital.
Sandwich is about 50 miles west of Chicago.
"Our Pediatric Intensive Care Unit was full last
night," said Amy Jo Steinbruecker, spokeswoman
at Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, which is
about 20 miles closer to Sandwich than Chicago.
Wallers said the helicopter belonged to Air Angels
Inc., an emergency medical transport service based
at Clow Airport in suburban Bolingbrook. Telephone
calls to the Air Angels offices went unanswered
Thursday morning.
However, Air Angels CEO Jim Adams told reporters
the helicopter's crew included the pilot, nurse
and a paramedic employed by the company.
Aurora Police identified the crew as Dell Waugh,
69, of Carmel, Ind.; William Mann, 31, of Chicago;
and Ronald Battiato, 41, of Peotone, Ill. Public
records show Delbert Waugh was a certified
commercial pilot who flew helicopter air assault
missions during the Vietnam War.
Adams said the pilot did not report mechanical
problems, and weather was not an issue. A news
conference was expected later in the day.
The helicopter crashed in a forest preserve field
near a residential area in east Aurora and became
engulfed in flames. No one on the ground was hurt.
Signs along the nearby road identified the area as
the Night Huron Marsh Forest Preserve.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National
Transportation Safety Board were investigating the
crash - the 11th this year and sixth fatal one
involving medical helicopters nationwide,
according to NTSB data.
NTSB spokesman Terry Williams said the agency
will hold a public hearing on medical helicopter
crashes sometime next year to look into the recent
increases. A date has not been set.
"The hearing will allow us to gather more
information about the operations of these EMS
helicopters and to work on preventing these
accidents from occurring again," Williams said.
The Aurora crash is the third involving
helicopters from Air Angels, whose Web site says
it was founded in 1998. In January 2003, an Air
Angels helicopter crashed, killing the pilot.
Investigators determined pilot error and weather
caused the accident. Mechanical problems were
blamed for an August 2007 crash in which there
were no injuries.
"We extend our deepest sympathies to the families
and friends of the patient and our crew. Air
Angels is working with the National Transportation
Safety Board and FAA to investigate the cause of
the accident and we will provide more information
as it becomes available," Adams said in a
statement.
Last month, the main rotor came off a medical
helicopter before the craft crashed into a
southeastern Indiana farm field, killing three
crew members.
(Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights
reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
Killed in Bell 222 during a medical evacuation
mission. Flying at night in good weather at 700
AGL while calling the tower the aircraft rotor
system separated after a wire strike on a lighted
and well known 749 foot tower near Aurora, IL. He
died 15 Oct 2008.
Delbert Lee Waugh Born in Ashland, Kentucky on
Jul. 29, 1939 Departed on Oct. 15, 2008 and
resided in Muncie, IN.
Visitation: Thursday, Oct. 23, 2008, Service:
Thursday, Oct. 23, 2008, Cemetery: Arlington
National Cemetery.
Delbert Lee Waugh 69 years old, of Muncie. The
tragic and untimely helicopter crash which
resulted in the death of Del Waugh, and three
others, leaves an enormous and painful vacuum in
the hearts of those of us who knew him and loved
him. Raised in Muncie, Del graduated from Ball
State University and immediately enlisted in the
U.S. Army. Pursuing his passion for adventure he
volunteered for Parachute Jump School, donned the
famous red beret, and spent three years with the
82nd Airborne supporting military operations in
Vietnam. Upon completion of his tour with the 82nd
Del was accepted as a student pilot in the U.S.
Army Flight school. After graduation he returned
to Vietnam as the pilot of a helicopter gun ship
and rescue pilot, where he supported our ground
troops who were constantly under fire. On one
mission, while he was attempting to extract
wounded fellow soldiers from the jungle, he was
shot down and wounded himself. Dauntless in his
resolve to survive, he evaded capture for several
days and was finally rescued. After his
convalescence he returned to the air and completed
his tour of duty. While most would be content to
say, "that's enough" Del volunteered again and
returned to Vietnam. I don't know what makes a
true hero, but Del was indeed one of them. In a
succinct summary, Del was shot down twice while
placing himself in harms way to save his comrades.
For his selfless gallantry he was awarded The
Legion of Merit, two Purple Hearts, two
Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Bronze Star with
the Device for Valor, two Vietnam Crosses of
Gallantry with Palm and Silver Star, 12 Combat Air
Medals and the Meritorious Service Medal. Many,
many men owe their lives to the singular courage
of Del Waugh. Following his active military
service Del remained in the U.S. Army Reserves
where he continued to fly and rose to the rank of
Lieutenant Colonel. Del became the Commanding
Officer all Reserved Army Aviation in Indiana and
Michigan.
He served as an Army Aviator and Flight Instructor
for more than 25 years, and accumulated more than
7000 flight hours. Following his Military career
Del pursued several business ventures, working at
one time for Ross Perot at Electronic Data
Systems (EDS) in Dallas. He attended graduate
school at Texas Tech while working for EDS, but
his passion for flying remained a constant itch
which he had to scratch. When the opportunity to
fly for Air Angels, as an EMS helicopter Captain
presented itself, Del could not resist. After
passing the FAA Medical Examination, Del returned
to the thing he loved most, and took off once more
flying through the night on missions of mercy
where he died trying to save a small child. Del is
survived by his son, Bradley Waugh; his daughter
in-law, Jessica and his two grandchildren, Bailey
Jean and Brennan Jay. Del will be missed. Heroes
are all too hard to chance upon. They are like
eagles, they don't flock in groups they must be
found one at time. True good and loyal friends are
even harder to find. A Funeral service will be
held Thursday, October 23, at 3 p.m. at the
Indiana War Memorial with visitation starting at
10 a.m. Burial will be at Arlington National
Cemetery. Friends and family may visit his online
guestbook at www.indianafuneralcare.com
In lieu of flowers please contribute to the VFW
National Home for Children, 3573 S. Waverly Road,
Eaton Rapids, MI 48827, 800.424.8360
Burial information: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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