Woman's death after helicopter landing 'shouldn't have happened'

A coroner said the death of an 87-year-old woman "shouldn't have happened" after she was "blown over" by a helicopter landing at a hospital.

Jean Langan, a retired civil servant, was attending an appointment at Derriford Hospital, in Devon, when she was knocked backwards by "downwash" - a rapid change in air - from a coastguard helicopter.

Ms Langan, who lived in Plymouth, died a few hours later from a head injury, and on Tuesday the jury at the inquest, held at Exeter County Hall, recorded her death as an accident.

On Wednesday, coroner Ian Arrow said he would be writing a Prevention of Future Deaths report to the Department For Transport to create a national database for helipad operations.

The inquest heard how a Sikorsky helicopter, used for search and rescue, had landed on the hospital's helipad on March 2022.

The jury was shown footage of the landing, which showed Ms Langan knocked over.

The court heard there are 200 hospital landing sites in the UK and 44 are currently approved by UK Search and Rescue helicopters.

On Wednesday, Stuart Windsor, the future hospital director at Derriford Hospital, said the car park where the incident happened had been permanently closed to the public.

He said it was now used as an ambulance overflow, and any members of staff that used the car park were given training on "downwash" to keep themselves and patients safe.

There are handrails in place, as well as a red flashing light and warning alarm when smaller helicopters land.

There has also been additional CCTV and staffing, he added.

The court heard since the incident, helicopters larger than five tonnes can no longer land at Derriford Hospital and have to land at Bickleigh barracks in Plymouth.

Land ambulances will then collect patients and transport them to Derriford Hospital for treatment.

Abigail Knill, from the South Western Ambulance Service Trust, said the transfer can take almost an hour from collecting the patient to handing them over to hospital staff.

Summing up, Mr Arrow said to Ms Langan's family: "I do hope society improves.

"It must have been a shocking day when you were just attending a hospital appointment.

"It's something that shouldn't have happened".