A rescue mission of the medical helicopter was terminated after an indication of low oil pressure in one of the machine's engines. This was reported to NOVA by the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
After accepting a primary mission for a victim at the Banderitsa campsite, the helicopter took off from Sofia Airport base at 3:10 p.m. After a 15-minute flight to the location in the Samokov region, the helicopter generated an indication of low oil pressure in engine No. 2, the ministry reported.
The crew followed the procedures in the Flight Operations Manual and attempted a landing at a site selected from the air. The mission was terminated and an unplanned landing was undertaken by the crew, which was carried out normally without any consequences for the crew, the medical team and the helicopter, the ministry assured.
After a pre-flight inspection of the helicopter, in which no oil loss and visible external deviations from the normal condition were detected, the engines were started on the ground, as instructed by the engineering staff. During the ground tests, it was observed that all parameters of the helicopter's engines and systems were within normal limits, the ministry added.
A return flight to base - Sofia Airport was undertaken, during which the indication did not appear. Currently, the engineering and technical staff of Bulgaria Heli Med Service is working to establish the causes of the situation.