Nobody injured as MercyOne Air Med 3 helicopter forced down after bird strike

MASON CITY — Nobody was injured after a medical helicopter made an emergency landing in Worth County on Tuesday night after a bird strike.

MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center says their MercyOne Air Med 3 experienced a bird strike and made the landing at 370th and Lark Avenue in rural Worth County in between Hanlontown and Manly. A Mercy spokesman says the crew made a successful emergency landing after a bird strike.

There was not a patient on board, and the pilot and crew were not harmed. Mercy says the helicopter suffered a shattered windscreen.

No other details about the incident are being immediately released by Mercy. 

It’s the second time in three days that there’s been a report of a bird striking a medical helicopter in the northern part of the state.

Reports also say Fort Dodge-based Life Flight 2 had an in-air incident on Sunday evening, causing their chopper to make an emergency landing just north of Rock Rapids.

Preliminary reports indicated some sort of bird strike resulted in windshield and rotor damage to the aircraft, which was able to safely land in a grassy area in rural Lyon County. No injuries were reported. 

(Story originally posted at 5:55 AM on Wednesday November 12th, updated with information about second helicopter at 9:30 AM)