Rotor wash during EMS landing at hospital helipad upsets a small shed damaging it and some vehicles.

Attributes
ACN	347162
Time
Date	199609
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 50 agl bound upper : 50
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 9000
ASRS Report	347162
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Arrival at hospital helipad at hospital X, attended by 2 hospital security guards (not fenced and open to vehicle traffic). On our arrival the helipad appeared to be clear and in same condition as on last arrival (25 days since last used by this company). At about 50 ft, a 10 X 12 ft aluminum shed lifted off in the rotor wash and rolled over a pickup truck before getting wedged between a compact car and a large trash container. I stopped my descent when the paramedic (in copilot seat) called out the lifting shed, and went ahead and landed once the shed was stuck between the car and dumpster. No one was injured and the vehicles were very lightly damaged. The shed was removed by the hospital maintenance crew before we took off with our patient. It was explained that the shed had recently been emptied because a more modern trash container had been delivered. I believe that the FAA's system of certifying and maintaining heliports is still stalled/handicapped by the politics of citizens groups against helicopter intrusion. If we are to be banned, then they should close the heliports -- it not, then bring them up to standard.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ROTOR WASH DURING EMS LNDG AT HOSPITAL HELIPAD UPSETS A SMALL SHED DAMAGING IT AND SOME VEHICLES.

Narrative: ARR AT HOSPITAL HELIPAD AT HOSPITAL X, ATTENDED BY 2 HOSPITAL SECURITY GUARDS (NOT FENCED AND OPEN TO VEHICLE TFC). ON OUR ARR THE HELIPAD APPEARED TO BE CLR AND IN SAME CONDITION AS ON LAST ARR (25 DAYS SINCE LAST USED BY THIS COMPANY). AT ABOUT 50 FT, A 10 X 12 FT ALUMINUM SHED LIFTED OFF IN THE ROTOR WASH AND ROLLED OVER A PICKUP TRUCK BEFORE GETTING WEDGED BTWN A COMPACT CAR AND A LARGE TRASH CONTAINER. I STOPPED MY DSCNT WHEN THE PARAMEDIC (IN COPLT SEAT) CALLED OUT THE LIFTING SHED, AND WENT AHEAD AND LANDED ONCE THE SHED WAS STUCK BTWN THE CAR AND DUMPSTER. NO ONE WAS INJURED AND THE VEHICLES WERE VERY LIGHTLY DAMAGED. THE SHED WAS REMOVED BY THE HOSPITAL MAINT CREW BEFORE WE TOOK OFF WITH OUR PATIENT. IT WAS EXPLAINED THAT THE SHED HAD RECENTLY BEEN EMPTIED BECAUSE A MORE MODERN TRASH CONTAINER HAD BEEN DELIVERED. I BELIEVE THAT THE FAA'S SYS OF CERTIFYING AND MAINTAINING HELIPORTS IS STILL STALLED/HANDICAPPED BY THE POLITICS OF CITIZENS GROUPS AGAINST HELI INTRUSION. IF WE ARE TO BE BANNED, THEN THEY SHOULD CLOSE THE HELIPORTS -- IT NOT, THEN BRING THEM UP TO STANDARD.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.