The Maryland state police helicopter fleet was up and running again Tuesday evening, while National Transportation Safety Board officials continued to analyze the site of a weekend crash that killed four people during an emergency medical trip.
Major Andrew J. McAndrew, Commander of the Aviation Command, authorized a helicopter stationed at Martin State Airport in Middle River, to resume operations around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Officials said the rest of the fleet would be incrementally returning to service after the glide slope equipment, which provides vertical guidance to the runway, was checked in each helicopter by both an outside contractor and a state police instructor pilot.
The pilot flying the helicopter that crashed over the weekend had told air tower controllers his glide slope system was not working, but the controller said things were fine on his end.
Meanwhile, additional allegations surfaced about the helicopter involved in the weekend tragedy.
Activist Dick Johnson, who has lobbied state legislators and others to investigate maintenance issues in the state helicopter program, gave the Examiner copies of a 2006 aviation safety report filed by pilot Pete Peterson. The Examiner reported Tuesday that Peterson had submitted a whistle-blower complaint to federal agencies in early September over helicopter safety issues.
In the 2006 report, Peterson said the aircraft involved in the crash and one other helicopter had cracks in its frame in late June 2006.
“I am very concerned about the safety and future of the airframes/aircraft flown by Aviation Command personnel,” Peterson wrote. “Do Command crew personnel know about the cracks and how many aircraft are affected?”
Peterson’s report said his superiors told him not to share cell-phone photos he had taken of one of the helicopter’s cracks “outside the Aviation Command.” He was ultimately disciplined, losing 24 hours of paid leave time, for sending copies of his safety report to other pilots at their personal e-mail addresses.
Calls to Maryland State Police officials for comment late Tuesday were not immediately returned.
Examiner reporter Jamie Malarkey contributed to this story.ned.
