NTSB · Safety Recommendation
Safety Recommendation A-20-017
Recommendation
TO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION: Require the National Weather Service (NWS) to provide capability in the HEMS Weather Tool to graphically display areas of weather radar limitations, including areas where beams may lack low-altitude coverage, areas that lack radar coverage, and areas of beam blockages (as recommended in Safety Recommendation A-20-20 to the NWS).
Safety Issue and Context
On January 29, 2019, about 0650 eastern standard time, a single-engine, turbine-powered Bell 407 helicopter, N191SF, being operated as a helicopter air ambulance (HAA) flight, collided with forested terrain about 4 miles northeast of Zaleski, Ohio.1 The certificated commercial pilot, flight nurse, and flight paramedic died, and the helicopter was destroyed. The helicopter was registered to and operated by Viking Aviation, LLC, doing business as Survival Flight Inc., under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135.
Company flight-following procedures were in effect for the visual flight rules (VFR) flight, which departed Mount Carmel Hospital, Grove City, Ohio, about 0628 and was destined for Holzer Meigs Emergency Department, Pomeroy, Ohio, about 69 nautical miles southeast, to pick up a patient. Night visual meteorological conditions existed at the departure location, but available weather information indicated that snow showers and areas of instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) existed along the route of flight.
Response History
June 3, 2026 · NTSB Correspondence · FAA
We note that, in response to Safety Recommendation A-20-16, the FAA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Severe Storms Laboratory are working on an enhancement to the Graphical Forecasts for Aviation – Low Altitude (GFA-LA), formerly the HEMS Weather Tool, that would add continuous TDWR data to the Multi-Radar/Multi-Sensor System mosaic. We also note that, in response to Safety Recommendation A-20-17, you are continuing to work with the NWS to incorporate into the GFA-LA the Next Generation Weather Radar 0- to 4 kilometer above-ground-level reflectivity capability, which will gray out any areas without coverage.
Although we believe the ongoing work that you described is responsive to both safety recommendations, we urge you and the NWS to seek feedback from the pilot community on your plan to gray out areas without weather radar coverage and address any concerns they may have.
Pending completion of the improvements to the GFA-LA (in place of the HEMS Weather Tool, as specified in these recommendations), the Board has voted to keep Safety Recommendations A-20-16 and -17 classified OPEN-- ACCEPTABLE ALTERNATE RESPONSE.
Footnote: Safety Recommendation A-20-19 asks the NWS to add TDWR data to the HEMS Weather Tool overlay (as recommended in Safety Recommendation A-20-16 to the FAA). This recommendation is currently classified Open—Acceptable Alternate Response. Safety Recommendation A-20-20 asks the NWS to provide capability in the HEMS Weather Tool to graphically display areas of weather radar limitations, including areas where beams may lack low-altitude coverage, areas that lack radar coverage, and areas of beam blockages (as recommended in Safety Recommendation A-20-17 to the FAA). This recommendation is currently classified Open—Acceptable Alternate Response.
October 2, 2025 · Recipient Response · FAA
-From Bryan Bedford, Administrator: As discussed above in A-20-16, the NEXRAD 0-4 km AGL composite reflectivity mosaic indicates where coverage is absent, either because a radar is out of service or because of blockages or insufficient coverage. The NWS has determined that the 0-4 km AGL composite reflectivity mosaic is a viable solution for the GFA-LA tool. Currently, there is no estimated date for when this data will be implemented into the GFA-LA.