NTSB Releases 'Factual Report' On Death Of Austin STAR Flight Nurse

AUSTIN, TX -- National Transportation Safety Board officials have released a report on the death of STAR Flight nurse Kristin McClain last year.

McLain fell to her death on April 27 during a nighttime rescue attempt of an injured hiker in the Barton Creek Greenbelt. The 46-year-old nurse was part of a team responding to the rescue call when she fell from the Star Flight helicopter.

Released Friday afternoon, the NTSB’s so-called “Factual Report” details the grim scene with compelling narrative not typically associated with official government findings. Exhaustively detailed, the report outlines the tragic series of events that led to the nurse’s tragic death.

“A citizen came upon the fallen rescuer and called 911,” investigators wrote toward the end of the narrative. “Emergency personnel who responded to the injured hiker were first on scene. The rescuer’s helmet was off; the vest was zipped up; the leg straps on; and the triangle [Tri-link] was closed.”

McClain’s fellow rescuers then furiously began attempts to save her life: “In order to provide medical care, an officer opened the triangle, and the EMT opened the vest and cut off the belts and leg straps.”

But in the end, their attempts were futile.

The report paints a scene of chaos the night of McClain’s death -- helicopter noise further complicating McClain’s attempted to treat the injured hiker.

“The noise of the helicopter also made radio transmission difficult to hear,” investigators wrote. “One of the personnel was able to radio contact with helicopter crew to confirm they wanted one of the firemen to disconnect the patient.”

Once done, rescuers turned their focus to rescue McClain: "He [the crew chief] asked for the medical bag and stated that they needed to go look for their rescuer. He added that he asked the patient if she remembered at what point was the rescuer not with you. He stated that the patient responded that she did not know that the rescuer was with her at any point.”

The injured hiker was later taken to the hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

The report then turns to the dry recitation of equipment in use that day and the vagaries of weather conditions. But given the context, even such abrupt post-narrative descriptions push the prose of the report compellingly forward, the words suffused with a seamlessly tragic tone.

“The helicopter was equipped with a North Flight Data Systems Outerlink cockpit video and voice recorder system,” investigators noted. “In addition, the helicopter was equipped with an Avalex AVR-8240 DVR recorder mounted on the hoist system that records operations and communications.”

Moreover, the crew wore night vision goggles on the tragic night: “The flight and rescue operations were conducted in night conditions; each STAR Flight crew member is equipped with NVGs and was wearing them on the accident flight.”

Investigators added they found the events leading up to McClain’s death were not caused by equipment failure: “A post-accident examination of the hoist and helicopter by the operator, NTSB, FAA and a technical representative from Airbus Helicopters, Inc., did not reveal any abnormalities that contributed to the accident.”

STAR Flight Director Casey Ping said Thursday that the investigation into the accident will continue even after the findings of the NTSB officials, as outlined in their report.

“The NTSB investigation is ongoing,” Ping said in a prepared statement. “We are encouraged that the process is progressing with the release of the factual report, and are awaiting the release of the probable cause.”

After the accident, the NTSB grounded the helicopter in which McClain served, and Star Flight elected to suspend operations of the three other choppers in their fleet, at least for a while.

In releasing the NTSB findings Friday afternoon, Travis County Emergency Services spokeswoman Lisa Block said there would be no further comment for the time being.

“Because this is an ongoing investigation, we are unable to provide additional comments at this time,” she said in an email to Patch.

The NTSB previously released a preliminary report on McClain’s death the month after the accident.

A native of Colorado, McClain was a seven-year Star Flight veteran -- one of only two female nurses on the STAR Flight staff. The Star Flight community is close-knit, comprised during McClain’s service of three mechanics and 21 nurses, paramedics and pilots -- seven members to each team.

In a statement to media outlets shortly after McClain’s death, STAR Flight Director of Aviation Willy Culbertson said this: “Kristin was a wonderful flight nurse, and a very special friend. I am going to miss her with all of my heart.”

To read the NTSB's full report, click here.