The pilot of a medical helicopter has been cited by the craft's builder for his skills in landing the helicopter without injury when the engine failed.

Addison Clark was flying Kalispell Medical Center's "ALERT" helicopter on Nov. 2 when the engine failed. Although he was at least 150 feet in the air over a densely populated area, Clark was able to land the Bell 407 helicopter on the hospital's helipad. Clark, along with paramedic Chuck Curry and flight nurse Megan Hamilton walked away uninjured. The helicopter, however, sustained significant damage in the hard landing.

Citations from the helicopter company are rare, said John Williams, manager of pilot training safety for Bell. In 29 years in that capacity, he said he has seen very few commendations.

"The fact that you and your passengers were all OK is a testimony of your great piloting skills," wrote Launa Barboza, director of customer training for Bell in Fort Worth, Texas.

"It's certainly well-deserved because he did a super job," ALERT Chief Pilot George Taylor said.

The hospital sends its pilots to Bell training in Texas every year for safety updates. Clark, who also flew helicopters in the Army, has credited those drills for helping him land the helicopter under potentially disastrous circumstances.

"He's a great pilot," Taylor said of Clark.

Curry told the Daily Inter Lake newspaper that a warning light went off in the aircraft shortly after it took off during a snowstorm shortly before 9 p.m. The helicopter was headed to Bigfork to assist with a patient suffering chest pains.

Clark decided to return to the hospital helipad, but the engine failed as he neared the helipad.

As it landed, without power, the helicopter clipped a side mirror off a vehicle and tore out about 50 feet of chain-link fence before skidding another 40 feet to a stop just at the edge of the pad.

The cause of the engine failure remains under investigation.

Pilots are grounded now at ALERT, though. The helicopter is being repaired, which could take four months, Taylor said.

A leased helicopter is expected to arrive any day, but it needs some engine work before ALERT can put it into service.