Helicopter mechanic fired for reporting safety concerns ordered reinstated
- July 13, 2025
- Posted by: Web workers
- Category: Workers Comp
A mechanic for an air ambulance service who was fired after raising helicopter safety concerns has been ordered reinstated to his position after a U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation found the person was illegally terminated.
The U.S. Department of Labor on Friday announced that a federal whistleblower investigation found the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, helicopter mechanic was fired in late September 2022, shortly after the mechanic filed a complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration over mechanical safety concerns.
The mechanic reported initial concerns about a helicopter belonging to his employer, Avera Careflight in Sioux Falls, a division of Avera McKennan, in July 2022, and then continued to discuss safety matters with a supervisor and the manufacturer’s national technical representative over a period of several months, according to OSHA.
The mechanic filed the FAA complaint after believing the issues were left unresolved.
OSHA said federal law protects employees who refuse to perform work when they believe the assignments would cause them to violate aviation safety regulations.
In addition to job reinstatement, OSHA also ordered the company to pay the mechanic more than $30,600 in back wages and $25,000 in damages and to remove any negative personnel file reports.
The employer has 30 days to contest OSHA’s findings.
