In 2019, 74-year-old Katalin Metro broke her nose hiking on Piestewa Peak in Phoenix. Despite refusing a helicopter rescue and preferring ground transport, the Phoenix Fire Department airlifted her in a Stokes basket. The basket spun violently due to rotor wash and a failed tag line, causing severe physical injuries like swelling, bruising, and a spinal cord injury, plus emotional trauma. Metro sued the city for negligence, settling for $450,000 in 2021. The viral incident exposed flaws in hoist rescue protocols, highlighting the need for better equipment, training, and respect for patient consent in mountain rescues.
Long Version
The Botched Helicopter Rescue: Katalin Metro’s Harrowing Ordeal on Piestewa Peak
In the rugged terrain of Piestewa Peak in Phoenix, Arizona, what began as a routine hike for 74-year-old Katalin Metro turned into a nightmare involving a hiking injury, a controversial helicopter rescue, and a spinning incident that captured global attention. On June 4, 2019, Metro’s misstep led to a broken nose and facial injuries, prompting a mountain rescue by the Phoenix Fire Department. Despite her explicit refusal of an airlift and preference for ground transportation, rescuers proceeded with a hoist rescue using a Stokes basket. The operation devolved into chaos when the basket spun violently due to rotor wash and a failed tag line, exacerbating her physical injuries and inflicting severe emotional injuries. Metro ultimately sued the city for negligence, securing a $450,000 settlement after a protracted legal battle. This case highlights critical flaws in emergency transport protocols and serves as a cautionary tale in the air medical rescue community.
The Hiking Injury That Sparked the Chain of Events
Piestewa Peak, a popular hiking destination in Phoenix known for its challenging trails, draws thousands of outdoor enthusiasts annually. On that fateful day in 2019, Katalin Metro, an experienced 74-year-old hiker, lost her footing while navigating the rocky path. She suffered a hiking injury that included a broken nose, injuries to the left side of her body such as her arm and hip, and overall disorientation. Metro’s condition, while requiring medical attention, was assessed as non-emergent—she did not necessitate immediate emergency transport. In fact, she repeatedly expressed her desire to avoid a helicopter rescue, opting instead for safer ground transportation down the mountain. Her husband, George Metro, later recounted the initial trauma, emphasizing how the fall alone was distressing enough without the complications that followed.
Despite these assessments, the Phoenix Fire Department, led by figures like Captain Kenny Overton and Assistant Chief Shelly Jamison, deemed an airlift necessary. This decision overrode Metro’s wishes, setting the stage for one of the most infamous botched rescues in recent history. The choice to proceed with a hoist rescue, a common method in mountain rescue scenarios, ignored viable alternatives and underscored potential oversights in protocol adherence.
The Hoist Rescue Gone Awry: Anatomy of the Spinning Incident
The rescue involved strapping Metro into a Stokes basket, a specialized litter designed for secure aerial evacuations. Attached to a long line from the helicopter, the basket was intended to be hoisted smoothly to safety. However, as the airlift commenced, disaster struck. The basket began to spin slowly at first, accelerating into a violent whirl due to the downwash—or rotor wash—from the helicopter’s propellers interacting with the ground and air currents. This wind from propellers created a centrifugal force that propelled the basket into an uncontrollable basket spin, estimated at 175 to over 200 rotations in about 40 seconds.
Chief Pilot Paul Apolinar of the Phoenix Police Department, who assisted in the operation, explained the mechanics during a press conference: “As the basket comes up and nears the helicopter, it will start to interact with the rotor wash of the helicopter. That is when it tends to spin. It wants to windmill.” A critical safety measure, the tag line meant to stabilize the basket and prevent such oscillations, failed—reports indicate the long line broke or malfunctioned mid-hoist. Rescuers attempted to mitigate the spinning by raising and lowering the basket multiple times, but the efforts only prolonged the ordeal until Metro was finally secured inside the helicopter and transferred to an ambulance.
This technical breakdown transformed a standard helicopter rescue into a high-stakes spinning incident, raising questions about equipment reliability and crew preparedness in hoist rescue operations.
Immediate Aftermath: Physical, Emotional, and Psychological Injuries
The botched rescue inflicted far more harm than the original hiking injury. Metro endured severe physical injuries, including widespread swelling and bruising across her body, damage to her auditory canals from the intense motion, and a spinal cord injury diagnosed as cervical stenosis that required surgery and weeks of rehabilitation. Her husband George Metro described her state post-incident: “Her face and feet are swollen up from the spinning,” noting she was too dizzy to walk for days. Beyond the tangible medical bills, which totaled around $290,000, Metro suffered profound pain and suffering, emotional injuries, and psychological injuries such as ongoing anxiety and trauma.
These compounded effects highlighted the risks of overriding patient consent in emergency scenarios, particularly when alternative ground transportation could have avoided such escalation.
The Viral Video and Public Backlash
Footage of the spinning incident, captured by bystanders and rescuers, quickly went viral, amassing millions of views across various platforms and news outlets. The video depicted the Stokes basket whirling wildly beneath the helicopter, drawing widespread horror and criticism toward the Phoenix Fire Department. Public discourse focused on the apparent gross negligence, with many questioning why the airlift proceeded despite Metro’s refusal. This viral video not only amplified Metro’s story but also sparked broader conversations about safety in mountain rescue and helicopter operations.
Pursuing Justice: The Lawsuit and Claims of Negligence
In response to the trauma, Katalin and George Metro filed a notice of claim against the city of Phoenix, seeking $2 million for damages. The lawsuit, lodged in Maricopa County Superior Court in June 2020, accused the fire department and city of negligence and gross negligence in conducting the botched rescue. Key allegations included reckless disregard for Metro’s wishes, failure to properly maintain equipment like the tag line, and inadequate training to handle rotor wash-induced spins. The claim encompassed medical bills, ongoing treatment costs, pain and suffering, and loss of consortium for George Metro, reflecting the relational strain caused by Katalin’s prolonged recovery.
Represented by attorney K. Thomas Slack of Beale, Micheaels, Slack & Shughart P.C., the Metros argued that the decision to airlift ignored safer options, constituting a preventable error.
Resolution: The $450,000 Settlement
After negotiations, the Phoenix City Council unanimously approved a settlement of up to $450,000 on December 1, 2021, resolving the disputed claim without admitting liability. The city stated, “The Metros and the City were able to come to an agreement of this disputed claim. The City denies any wrongdoing or liability.” This $450,000 settlement, while less than the initial $2 million claim, provided compensation for the extensive medical bills and intangible harms, closing a chapter on one of Phoenix’s most scrutinized rescue operations.
Lessons Learned: Enhancing Safety in Helicopter Rescues
The Katalin Metro case has become a pivotal reference in the air medical rescue field, prompting reviews of hoist rescue protocols to better address risks like downwash and tag line failures. While specific changes by the Phoenix Fire Department aren’t publicly detailed, the incident underscores the importance of patient consent, equipment redundancy, and training to counteract centrifugal force in spinning incidents. For hikers and rescuers alike, it emphasizes prioritizing ground transportation when feasible and ensuring robust safeguards in mountain rescue efforts. As various organizations continue to analyze such events, Metro’s story remains an authoritative reminder of the fine line between heroism and hazard in emergency responses.
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