Life Force Helicopter, Duck Collide Mid-Air

It was a very close call for three crew members on board Life Force-2, the medical helicopter stationed north of Chattanooga.

A duck came crashing through the windshield of the aircraft as it began a mission to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville Sunday night.

The program director of Life Force, Robby Tester, said the crew followed all safety measures including wearing their helmets and face shields, and that probably saved a flight paramedic from getting some serious injuries.

Life Force-2 was on a mission to transfer a cardiac patient from Cumberland Regional Medical Center. During take off from Upper Cumberland Regional Airport a duck came crashing through the windshield. It rocketed toward flight paramedic Robert Berger's head.

Tester said Berger turned his head and the duck slammed into the headrest of his seat and ended up behind his seat. Aside from the bloody mess, what is actually called snarge, nothing inside the ship was damaged.

Pilot Chuck Neighbors immediately made a safe emergency landing.

"Here at Life Force in our 21 years we've had bird strike incidents occur but nothing has ever caused structural damage to the aircraft, this is the first one that has actually penetrated the aircraft," Tester said.

A new windshield from the helicopter manufacturer was ordered and Life Force-2 is returning to service in another day or two.

The cardiac patient was not yet on board the ship when it was hit by the duck and was taken by another aircraft.