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Communications officer for the Canadian Coast Guard Lawrence Swift said the nurse aboard the CCG Laurier hurt her hand and back while riding in a Zodiac on rough water near Sachs Harbour.
She attended the Sachs Harbour health centre Sept. 4 where the nurse there recommended X-rays. An appointment was made at the Inuvik hospital for the following Monday.
Rather than land at the airport, the pilot landed the helicopter in the parking lot.
"The pilot asked reception if there was a landing facility at the hospital," Swift said. "They said that routinely, helicopters land in the parking lot. They also indicated that they would have a wheelchair standing by."
After landing, the nurse declined the offer of a wheelchair and walked into the hospital.
Swift said the X-rays did not indicate any broken bones in the hand or the back.
"My understanding is, they landed there out of convenience," Swift said. "The airport is 12 kilometres south of town and it would have required landing and taking a taxi into town."
"It was one of those instances where, if you have a helicopter, why not use it?"
Transport Canada regulations say that a helicopter may set down in a built-up area of city or town if:
the aircraft is operated:
The choice made where to land is left to the pilot and his command, but the ultimate decision comes from the pilot according to Transport Canada regulations.
Cpl. Merle Carpenter of the Inuvik RCMP said they had received a call from NAV Canada's flight services at the Inuvik airport, but did not know why the helicopter landed at the hospital.
"We weren't notified of any medevac at all, other than what we received from flight services here in town," Carpenter said.
