The preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on the Nov. 14 crash of a helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) aircraft near Doyle, CA, sheds little light on the cause of the fatal HEMS accident—only the second for 2009.
The medical helicopter went down north of Reno near the Nevada-California state line, killing all three crewmembers aboard.
The Aerospatialte AS350BA (N5793P) crashed about 29 miles northwest of Reno in Lassen County, CA around 2 a.m., according to a FAA spokesman. The helicopter had dropped off a patient at a Reno hospital and was on its way to Susanville, CA. The aircraft was destroyed in the crash and resulting fire. The helicopter was operated by Mountain Life Flight out of Susanville. The company issued a brief statement confirming the loss of all three crew members aboard the helicopter.
The fatal accident marred a year in which the number of fatal helicopter EMS (HEMS) crashes had been dramatically reduced. For the HEMS industry, 2008 was the deadliest year on record with eight fatal accidents totaling 29 fatalities, earning the sector a spot on the NTSB’s Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Improvements.
According to the Safety Board, about 0201 Pacific standard time, the AS350B collided with terrain near Doyle. Mountain Lifeflight was operating the helicopter as a positioning flight.
The certificated commercial pilot and two passengers were killed; impact forces and a post crash fire destroyed the helicopter. The cross-country positioning flight departed Reno, NV, about 0143 with a planned destination of Susanville, CA. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
The helicopter departed its home base at Susanville Airport at 0009, picked up a patient at Banner Hospital in Susanville, and departed for Reno at 0038. It arrived at a hospital in Reno at 0111.
After departing the Reno hospital, the medical crew made position reports every 10 minutes to their dispatch in Susanville. They reported Hallelujah Junction at 0153. At 0201, dispatch received a garbled call indicating that the helicopter was going down.
Law enforcement personnel interviewed a witness who was in a car on a nearby highway. The witness observed the helicopter flying straight and level, and then descend vertically at a rapid rate. The witness lost sight of it behind terrain, and then observed a fireball.
On site examination revealed that the helicopter touched down on a 20-degree down slope of uneven terrain on a magnetic heading of 230 degrees. The airframe, engine, and transmission fragmented as they continued downhill.
The wreckage has been recovered for detailed examinations.