Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Fresno, California
Rolls Royce; Indianapolis, Indiana
Garmin International; Olathe, Kansas
Rogers Helicopters; Fresno, California
Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
http://registry.faa.gov/N408FC
Accident Number: WPR16FA037
Date & Time: 12/10/2015, 1903 PST
Registration: N408FC
Aircraft: BELL 407
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 4 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter - Non-scheduled - Air Medical (Discretionary)
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On December 10, 2015, at 1903 Pacific standard time, a Bell 407 helicopter, N408FC, was destroyed when it impacted terrain during cruise flight near McFarland, California. The commercial pilot, flight paramedic, flight nurse, and patient sustained fatal injuries. The helicopter was registered to American Airborne EMS, Fresno, California, and was operated by Rogers Helicopters, Inc., doing business as SkyLife, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 Air Medical Flight as call sign SkyLife 4. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed. The cross-country flight originated from the Porterville Municipal Airport (PVT), Porterville, California, at 1849 with an intended destination of San Joaquin Community Hospital, Bakersfield, California.
Information provided by the helicopter operator, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and local law enforcement officials indicated that the helicopter was initially dispatched from Visalia Municipal Airport (VIS), Visalia, California, to facilitate the transfer of a patient from PVT to a hospital helipad in Bakersfield.
Data recovered from a handheld Garmin GPSMap 396 GPS unit revealed that the helicopter departed from VIS about 1734, arrived at PVT about 1756. The operator's check pilot stated that he talked with the accident pilot via telephone about 1800. During this conversation, the accident pilot told the check pilot that he had just arrived at PVT and had checked the weather for Bakersfield, noting that visibility of 6 miles had been reported. The check pilot expressed his concern that the weather would be worse in the area than predicted. The accident pilot agreed and stated that he would carefully check the weather for the flight.
The flight departed from PVT at 1849:47. The recorded data showed that the helicopter was on a southerly course, along State Highway 65, and that the helicopter ascended to a GPS altitude of about 1,000 ft for the first 6 minutes 11 seconds of the flight with groundspeeds that varied between 125 mph and 141 mph. Beginning at 1855:58, the helicopter continued along a southerly course and began to ascend, reaching a maximum GPS altitude of 1,554 ft at 1902:43; the groundspeed varied between 124 and 144 mph.
Between 1903:08 and 1903:20, the helicopter's GPS altitude decreased from 1,535 to 1,476 ft, and the groundspeed increased from 135 to 138 mph, while the helicopter flew along a magnetic heading of 185°. At 1903:28, the helicopter began a left turn while descending through 1,300 ft at a groundspeed of 141 mph. The last three recorded data points—at 1903:32, 1903:35, and 1903:38—showed that the helicopter continued to descend; the GPS did not indicate a groundspeed for the last data point, which was recorded when the helicopter was about 590 ft southwest of the accident site. The calculated rate of descent for the last three data points was 2,210 ft per minute. Figure 1 shows the GPS-derived data points between 1902:43 and 1903:38.
At 1927, the dispatcher radioed the pilot to determine the flight's status but did not receive a response. The dispatcher contacted personnel at the destination hospital and Meadows Field Airport (BFL), Bakersfield, California, and learned that the flight had not reached the intended destination. An FAA alert notification was issued at 2034, and the helicopter wreckage was located by pilots in a sheriff's office helicopter at 2054. The pilot-in-command of the sheriff's office helicopter reported that, during the search for the accident helicopter, he observed dense ground fog between 200 and 500 ft above ground level and encountered heavy rainfall.
Figure 1. Final eight GPS-recorded data points.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
The pilot, age 49, held a commercial pilot certificate with rotorcraft helicopter and instrument rotorcraft ratings and a flight instructor certificate with rotorcraft helicopter and instrument helicopter ratings. He held a second-class medical certificate dated April 8, 2015, with the limitation "must wear corrective lenses."
Company records and the pilot's most recent logbook showed that the pilot was hired on August 15, 2012 and conducted mostly ferry flights and LIDAR utility work in Bell 206 and McDonnell Douglas MD530 and MD500 helicopters. On June 4, 2015, the pilot was reassigned to the Bell 407 with a special training authorization for emergency medical services. Before his employment with Rogers Helicopters, the pilot conducted air tours mostly in the Airbus Helicopters AS350 BA helicopter.
According to his most recent logbook, with entries dated from August 27, 2009, to December 10, 2015 the pilot had accumulated 11,415.3 hours of total flight experience, 159.3 hours of which were at night. The logbook also showed that, between August 27, 2009, and the accident date, the pilot had accumulated 17.8 hours of night flight experience; 4 hours of flight in actual instrument conditions; and 55.3 hours of simulated instrument time, including 0.5 hours in the accident helicopter between May 30 and June 4, 2015.
Between May 28, 2015, and the accident date, the pilot had accumulated 48.8 hours of total flight experience in the Bell 407, 11.2 hours of which were in the accident helicopter. During this timeframe, he accumulated 15 hours of night flight time, including 2.3 hours in the accident helicopter, which comprised 2 hours of night training that included 0.78 hours of night vision goggle (NVG) training. During the 90 days that preceded the accident, the pilot had accumulated 5.2 hours of night flight time, including 0.3 hours in the accident helicopter 2 days before the accident. A review of FAA records indicated that the pilot had not flown a helicopter equipped with advanced avionics (glass cockpit displays) before his first flight in the accident helicopter.
During a postaccident interview, the pilot's wife reported that he expressed numerous concerns about not having NVG. She stated that the pilot had started, but had not yet completed, company NVG training. In addition, she stated that the pilot's night training was limited but that, with his skill level, he was "fine" with night flying; however, he wasn't comfortable flying at night without the use of NVG's.
A company pilot also reported that the accident pilot expressed concern about flying near terrain in the area during periods of darkness without the use of NVG's.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The accident helicopter, serial number 53450, was configured for helicopter air ambulance (HAA) operations. The FAA type certificate required one flight crewmember (a pilot) and permitted operations under day or night visual flight rules (VFR). The helicopter was equipped with a Garmin G500H glass cockpit system, which was installed in February 2013. As shown in figure 2, the system comprised a Garmin GDU 620 primary flight display and multifunction display, a Garmin GRS 77 attitude heading reference system (AHRS), and a Garmin GDC 74 air data computer. The helicopter also had an analog airspeed indicator and altimeter; however, no additional attitude reference instruments were installed. The helicopter was also configured for the use NVG's.
Figure 2. Garmin G500H system similar to that installed in N408FC (the accident helicopter). Obtained from Garmin.Com.
The pilot primarily flew another company Bell 407 helicopter, N101HF, that was also configured for HAA operations. As shown in figure 3, this helicopter had analog instruments and not the advanced avionics installed in the accident helicopter.
Figure 3. Analog instruments installed in N101HF.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
At 1854, the recorded weather conditions at PTV, elevation 443 ft msl, located about 21 nautical miles (nm) north of the accident site, were as follows: wind from 040° at 5 knots, visibility 10 statute miles or greater, light rain, overcast ceiling at 3,300 ft, temperature and dew point of 12°C, and altimeter setting 29.91 inches of mercury. At 1854, the recorded weather conditions at BFL, located about 14 nm south of the accident location, were as follows: wind from 280° at 4 knots, visibility 10 statute miles or greater, ceiling overcast at 6,000 ft, temperature of 14°C, dew point 11°C, and altimeter setting 29.91 inches of mercury. No weather reporting stations were located along the route of flight.
The closest National Weather Service Weather (NWS) Surveillance Radar-1988, Doppler (WSR-88D) was located in the San Joaquin Valley, California, about 47 nm northwest of the accident site. The WSR-88D captured base reflectivity imagery at 1902, as shown in figure 4, which mainly depicted light to moderate values of reflectivity to the east, northeast, north, and northwest of the accident site.
Figure 4. WSR-88D base reflectivity imagery.
Airmen's Meteorological Information (AIRMET) advisories for instrument conditions, mountain obscuration, and moderate turbulence were in effect for the accident site at the accident time.
A postaccident discussion with meteorologists at the NWS Weather Forecast Office in Hanford indicated that the conditions about the time and near the location of the accident were conducive to fog. The WFO referenced a Twitter post from an individual that observed fog in the area of McFarland, however this Twitter post was unavailable. The NWS meteorologists indicated that ground fog near the accident region is commonly relatively shallow and suggested common depths are 150 to 300 feet agl.
For further meteorological information, see the weather study in the public docket for this investigation.
WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION
The helicopter impacted open, sparsely populated, unlit, hilly terrain about 9 miles east of McFarland. State Highway 65 was located about 0.8 nm west of the accident site. All major structural components of the helicopter were located within the wreckage debris path, which was about 465 ft in length and oriented on a magnetic heading of about 037°. Portions of the main rotor blades, metal fragments, medical equipment, various flight controls, and fuselage components were observed along the debris path.
The first identified point of contact (FIPC) was a ground scar, measuring about 2 inches wide by 7 inches long, which was consistent with a main rotor blade strike. Two additional ground scars, consistent with main rotor blade strikes, were located about 12 and 21 ft beyond the FIPC. Adjacent to the 21-ft ground scar was an impact crater that was about 12 inches deep, between about 29 and 54 inches wide, and 5 ft in length. Within the impact crater, portions of a landing skid, fuselage antenna, and a panel from the bottom side of the fuselage were found.
About 77 ft from the FIPC, the left skid was located along slightly down-sloping terrain. The lower portion of the left door was located about 126 ft from the FIPC. The right skid was located about 213 ft from the FIPC, and the inboard portion of the yellow main rotor blade was located about 226 ft from the FIPC. The main wreckage and tailboom were located about 260 and 337 ft, respectively, from the FIPC.
The fuselage came to rest in an upright position, oriented on a magnetic heading of about 330°. The main rotor head remained attached to the mast, and three of the four main rotor blades remained attached to the rotor hub. The forward portion of the fuselage was torn open, crushed, and twisted. The bottom portion of the fuselage was partially displaced and torn open. The tailboom had separated from the fuselage slightly aft of its aft fuselage attach point. The vertical stabilizer had separated from the tailboom and was located adjacent to the fuselage.
The NTSB examined the recovered wreckage at the facilities of Plain Parts, Pleasant Grove, California. Bell Helicopter, Rolls-Royce, Rogers Helicopters, and the FAA also participated in the examination.
The fuselage was mostly fragmented from the bottom of the engine deck structure downward. The forward fuselage exhibited crush damage from the nose to slightly forward of the baggage compartment. The transmission deck and engine pan exhibited significant impact damage and remained attached to the intermediate section of the fuselage. The tailboom was mostly intact. The left-hand finlet on the horizontal stabilizer was fractured, and the right-hand finlet remained attached. The stinger remained attached to the bottom of the vertical stabilizer.
The forward fuel cell, which had about 20 to 24 gallons of fuel that was removed before recovery of the airframe, was ruptured along the top of the fuel cell. The aft (main) fuel cell was ruptured with no fuel noted prior to removal of the wreckage. The fuel transfer and fuel boost pumps were damaged from impact.
The main rotor hub remained attached to the main rotor mast with the mast nut in place. The yoke displayed fractures near two of the four inner elastomeric shear bearings. The red blade, which had been cut about 12 inches from the hub for wreckage recovery purposes, exhibited fractures outboard of the blade root that spanned about one-third of the blade's length. The green blade also exhibited fractures outboard of the blade root that spanned about one-third of the blade's length. The yellow blade remained attached at the grip with the yoke flexure separated from the main rotor hub. The blue blade remained attached at the grip. All of the main rotor blades exhibited ground impact marks along the leading edges.
Continuity was established from the collective and cyclic to the main rotor blades and from the pedals to the tail rotor. Numerous separations were observed throughout the flight control system that were consistent with impact damage. The three-control servos were removed for further examination and functional testing.
No evidence was found of any foreign object or wildlife strike on the tail rotor, wind screen, main rotor blades, main rotor mast, or pitch change links.
The engine remained attached to the airframe. The N2 system turned freely from the fourth-stage turbine wheel to the power takeoff gear. The N1 system turned freely, and continuity was established from the compressor impeller to the starter generator pad. Several blades from the impeller were bent opposite their direction of travel. The fourth-stage turbine wheel was intact and appeared normal. The bleed valve was fractured from the compressor scroll. Multiple dents were noted on the compressor scroll, discharge tube, and outer combustion case. Neither the upper nor the lower magnetic chip detectors contained magnetic debris. The airframe fuel filter and fuel removed from the filter bowl were free of debris. The fuel tested negative for water.
The engine control unit (ECU) was found intact and attached to the airframe. The ECU was removed, and stored data were downloaded. The data showed no faults or anomalies before the accident sequence. The ECU recorded less than one line of operational data, including an NR drop below 92%.
MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION
The Kern County Sheriff's Office, Coroner Section, Bakersfield, California, performed an autopsy on the pilot. The autopsy report indicated that the pilot's cause of death was blunt injuries.
The FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological tests on specimens recovered from the pilot, which were negative for drugs, ethanol, and carbon monoxide.
TESTS AND RESEARCH
Engine Examination
The engine was further examined at the Rolls-Royce facility in Indianapolis, Indiana under the supervision of the NTSB investigator-in-charge. The lower chip detector exhibited a small sliver of metal. The fuel filter and oil filter were free of debris. N1 and N2 could freely be rotated by hand. N1 exhibited slight interference when rotated due to the displacement of the rubber shroud from the bell mouth inlet into the compressor. All "B" nuts were verified to be at least hand tight. The bleed valve housing was found fractured in a manner consistent with impact. Dirt was observed within the bleed valve, which prevented the valve from being manually moved. Most of the compressor blades were bent opposite from their direction of rotation. A significant amount of dirt was located throughout the engine gas path. The compressor rotor showed evidence of contact with the scroll, which exhibited rotational witness marks.
Removal and disassembly of the turbine showed no evidence of any operational failure or malfunction. Ingested dirt was observed throughout the turbine and exhaust. A significant amount of dirt was compressed around the fuel nozzle. The accessory gearbox was intact and unremarkable.
Servo Examination
The servos were examined at Bell Helicopter's facility in Hurst, Texas, on January 24, 2018. Examination of the three control servos found no pre-accident deficiencies, and each servo passed a functional check.
Avionics Examination and Testing
The Garmin GRS 77H AHRS unit and the GDU 620 display unit were removed from the wreckage and were examined at Garmin's facilities in Olathe, Kansas, and Salem, Oregon, respectively, under the NTSB's supervision.
Before testing, the GRS 77H unit's assert logs were downloaded. A review of the downloaded logs revealed that one assert entry recorded at 19:03:40, at a location consistent with the accident site. The assert entry indicated that 14.3 minutes after the AHRS was last powered up, the AHRS measured an abrupt and excessive change in the aircraft body roll angular rate. Specifically, within about 0.04 second, the body roll angular rate of the helicopter advanced to a roll rate that exceeded 16 degrees/second, which caused a software-initiated reset of the AHRS. The North, East and Down velocities at the moment the assert was triggered were 53.7, 100.7, and 34.4 knots, respectively. The rate of descent was calculated to be about 3,486 ft per minute at the time of the log entry. The air data computer recorded that the true airspeed at the time was 113.3 knots.
The GRS 77H unit underwent functional and motion tests. Overall, the unit performed unremarkably. For detailed information regarding the testing of the GRS 77H, see the System Group Chairman's Factual Report in the public docket for this investigation.
Before functional testing of the GDU 620, the recorded assert logs were downloaded, but there were no recorded logs on or about the day of the accident. Functional testing of the GDU 620 was unremarkable. For detailed information regarding the testing of the GDU 620 unit, see the GDU 620 examination reports in the public docket for this investigation.
ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION
Rogers Helicopters started in 1962 with operations in powerline construction and aerial firefighting. The company began emergency medical services (EMS) operations in 1991. At the time of the accident, Rogers Helicopters was headquartered in Fresno, California, and operated 3 turbine-powered airplanes and 38 turbine-powered helicopters and employed about 55 full- or part-time pilots. For EMS operations, the company operated two Bell 407 helicopters, a Bell 430 helicopter, and a Beech King Air airplane.
For the accident flight, Rogers Helicopters was doing business as SkyLife. Rogers Helicopters' director of operations reported that SkyLife was a partnership with American Ambulance, with American Ambulance providing the medical crewmembers and equipment and Rogers Helicopters providing the pilot and aircraft.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
SkyLife Standard Operations Procedures (SOP) Manual
According to SkyLife's SOP Policy and Procedure Manual, the pilot-in-command "is the final authority for safe operations and may elect to not begin or continue a flight should safety be compromised. Additionally, if medical personnel do not feel comfortable during any part of the flight it shall be canceled regardless of existing weather conditions." The manual referred to the company's weather minimums, which were defined in Rogers Helicopters' FAA-approved operations specifications. The weather minimums were also found in Rogers Helicopters' operations manual.
Rogers Helicopters' Operations
Rogers Helicopters' Part 135 Operations Manual outlined weather minimums for nighttime operations for local and cross-country flights. Local flights in VFR conditions required a 500-ft agl ceiling and 2 miles visibility within a 25-nm radius of the company's base. For cross-country operations in VFR conditions, a ceiling of 1,000 ft agl and 3 miles visibility were required for operations outside of a 25-nm radius of the company's base. In addition, the operations manual stated that, "if during flight, unforeseen or unforecasted weather is encountered that is below operating VFR minimums, the Pilot in Command shall use his/her discretion in whether to abort the flight and return to Rogers Helicopters, Inc. or continue the flight under Instrument Flight Rules with currently qualified personnel and approved aircraft."
Rogers Helicopters' Flight and Ground Risk Analysis Program
As part of its safety management system (SMS), Rogers Helicopters used its Flight and Ground Risk Analysis Program to identify the risks involved for a flight. The company's SMS manual stated, "Rogers Helicopters will determine an acceptable level of risk for its flights based on the type of operation, environment, aircraft used, crew training, and overall operating experience. When the risk for a flight exceeds the defined acceptable level for Rogers Helicopters, the flight will be further evaluated, and risk decisions made by appropriate Rogers Helicopters leadership."
As part of this program, pilots complete a risk assessment worksheet before a flight to determine whether the flight would be low or high risk. The worksheet included specific factors related to flight operations, and a numeric value was derived depending on the factors that were identified for a flight. A flight had to automatically be declined if the numeric value was 17 or higher.
The risk assessment worksheet completed by the accident pilot noted that the flight would occur at night and would involve a "scene call" (dynamic factors). Also, the "new pilot" box (static factor) and the "rested 4+ hours" box (risk reducing factor) were checked. In addition, the pilot noted that the highest obstacle would be at 1,293 ft, visibility would be 10 miles, and that he was "healthy, rested and fit for duty." The risk assessment worksheet identified a risk factor of 7 for the flight, which was below Rogers Helicopters' "decline factor."
NVG Training
According SkyLife's SOP manual, pilots are required to undergo initial and recurrent qualification training to use NVGs. As part of initial training, 7 hours of ground training and 5 hours of flight training were required. The accident pilot had completed 0.78 hours of NVG training.
Pilot Information
Certificate: Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 49, Male
Airplane Rating(s): None
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Helicopter
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s): Helicopter
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): Helicopter; Instrument Helicopter
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 2 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 04/08/2015
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 11415 hours (Total, all aircraft), 48.8 hours (Total, this make and model), 9 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 0.7 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 0.4 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: BELL
Registration: N408FC
Model/Series: 407 NO SERIES
Aircraft Category: Helicopter
Year of Manufacture: 2000
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 53450
Landing Gear Type: Skid;
Seats:
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 06/01/2015, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 5501 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Turbo Shaft
Airframe Total Time: 9017.5 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: ALLISON
ELT: C126 installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: 250-C47
Registered Owner: AMERICAN AIRBORNE EMS
Rated Power: 650 hp
Operator: Rogers Helicopters
Operating Certificate(s) Held: Commuter Air Carrier (135)
Operator Does Business As: SkyLife
Operator Designator Code:
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Night/Dark
Observation Facility, Elevation: KBFL, 492 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 14 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 0254 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 180°
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Visibility: 10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 6000 ft agl
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 4 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: /
Wind Direction: 280°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /
Altimeter Setting: 29.91 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 14°C / 11°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Porterville, CA (PTV)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: Company VFR
Destination: Bakersfield, CA
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: 1851 PST
Type of Airspace: Class G
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 3 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 4 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 35.673611, -119.055556
NTSB Identification: WPR16FA037
Nonscheduled 14 CFR Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Accident occurred Thursday, December 10, 2015 in McFarland, CA
Aircraft: BELL 407, registration: N408FC
Injuries: 4 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On December 10, 2015, about 1908 Pacific standard time, a Bell 407, N408FC, was destroyed when it impacted terrain during cruise flight near McFarland, California. The helicopter was registered to American Airborne EMS, Fresno, California, and operated by Rogers Helicopters, DBA SkyLife, under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135. The Air Medical Flight call sign was SkyLife 4. The commercial pilot, flight paramedic, flight nurse, and patient sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a company visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed for the flight. The cross-country flight originated from the Porterville Municipal Airport, Porterville, California, at 1851 with an intended destination of the San Joaquin Memorial Hospital, Bakersfield, California.
Information provided by the operator, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and local law enforcement revealed that the helicopter was initially dispatched from Visalia, California, to Porterville to facilitate transfer of a patient to a hospital in Bakersfield. At 1918, a dispatcher radioed the pilot to confirm their status; there was no response. The dispatcher inquired with the destination hospital, and personnel at Bakersfield Meadows Airport and verified the flight had not reached the intended destination. Shortly thereafter, law enforcement personnel began a search near the last known location of SkyLife 4. The FAA subsequently issued an Alert Notification (ALNOT) at 2034. The wreckage was later located by local law enforcement air units at 2054.
Examination of the accident site revealed that the helicopter impacted open hilly terrain about 9 miles east of McFarland. All major structural components of the helicopter were located within the wreckage debris path, that was about 465 feet in length, and oriented on a heading of about 037 degrees magnetic. The wreckage was recovered to a secure location for further examination.
Paramedic Kyle Juarez 
Thomas and Sheli Hampl and their two sons, Kiliam and Liam
Kathryn Ann Brown of Springville, California
Pilot Thomas Hampl, 49 and flight nurse Marco Lopez, 42
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The patient killed in last week's SkyLife helicopter crash has been identified as a popular substitute teacher from Tulare County.
Forty-year-old Kathryn Brown died as the helicopter and its crew rushed to save her life. "Very personable, very polite, well-mannered teacher," said Woodville Union Elementary School District secretary Debbie Rodriguez. "The kids loved her."
Brown taught at several schools in Tulare County and co-workers tell us her love of kids was obvious.But she got sick at work last Thursday and never made it home. The urgent mission for a SkyLife helicopter last Thursday was to restore Kathryn Brown to health.
When the chopper crashed in a Kern County field, Brown was among the four people killed. Word of her death spread quickly through Tulare County schools, including Woodville Union where she left her mark over a few years as a substitute teacher. "When they told me her name, I was just in shock," Rodriguez said. "I couldn't believe it. Because I had just seen her two, three weeks ago she was subbing for our classroom."
Brown was at work at Sunnyside Union Elementary Thursday, but she got sick and went straight from school to Sierra View Hospital in Porterville. Hours later, she boarded the doomed helicopter bound for Bakersfield.
Brown was a fan of online games and country music, but co-workers say her work was a top priority. "We really could count on her," Rodriguez said. "She was always here on time. She stayed a little later with kids. If kids needed help, she was here to help."
And Brown didn't choose just any schools to help out. She picked country schools where students had the same kind of financial struggles she went through as a kid. "She did like coming to the more underprivileged, helping the underprivileged schools," Rodriguez said.
Family members tell Action News Brown was also proficient in sign language and worked with special needs students.
Story and video: http://abc30.com
The SkyLife helicopter is still sitting in the field where it went down Thursday. Investigators say the cockpit is fragmented and separated from the tail. Three members of a rescue team were killed along with a person who was being rescued.
Thomas Hampl was the pilot. He was married with two children and he had more than a decade of flight experience. His wife Sheli wrote in a statement, "Thomas was an amazing man. Highly respected, conscientious, thorough and thoughtful in his approach to everything he did. Everybody loved him. We will miss him so much."
Kyle Juarez and Marco Lopez were the medical part of the rescue team, a paramedic and a nurse. Neither Juarez or Lopez were scheduled to work Thursday night but they offered to switch shifts with their co-workers.
American Ambulance CEO Todd Valeri said, " last night was our company Christmas party and the crew that was assigned to work the helicopter that night wanted to attend."
Neighbors say Lopez was also a dad. He had two children and was a friendly guy who was always willing to help.
Lizeth Delitorre said, "so sad because he was a good friend and a good neighbor."
Maria De Jesus Espitia added, "it hit me real bad because he was a good friend and a good neighbor."
Juarez had two children of his own. Neighbors say he was passionate about his work.
"I think he'll be greatly missed by the people he worked with," said Jeff Espinola.
There are still a lot of questions about what happened. Investigators say when the helicopter crashed, there was no distress call and no sign of a collision with power lines. American Ambulance says maintenance was up to date and there were no prior mechanical issues. Foggy weather could have been a factor but the NTSB has to take a closer look to find answers.
The wreckage will be trucked to Sacramento on Saturday. The NTSB says a preliminary report on the crash will be released in five to six days but it could take months to figure out the cause.
Story and video: http://abc30.com
Joshua Cawthra
Investigator In Charge
National Transportation Safety Board
American Ambulance CEO and President Todd Valeri said the crew onboard had many years of experience. He added this crash is the first in the company's history to claim lives.
"We have about 600 employees and everybody is feeling the pain of this loss," Vareli said. "These people, like their peers, are heroes they save lives, that's what they do."
A crew of three was taking a woman in critical condition from Porterville to a San Joaquin Community Hospital in Bakersfield Thursday night just before 7:00 p.m. The flight was supposed to be about 20 minutes. Dispatchers in Fresno called about 10 minutes into the flight for a routine safety check, but received no response.
"They immediately looked to our GPS system to identify the location of the aircraft to see if it was moving," Valeri said. "[They] determined it was not."
The flight crashed near McFarland. On board was an unidentified female patient, 49-year-old pilot Thomas Hampl, 42-year-old critical care nurse Marco Lopez and 37-year-old paramedic Kyle Juarez. The three had years of experience.
"I hired both Marco and Kyle, interviewed them both, impressive, impressive men," Vareli said.
The three don't typically work together. Thursday night was the company's Christmas party, Lopez and Juarez switched shifts with the flight nurse and paramedic scheduled to work so the two could attend the party. The helicopter is one of three American Ambulance operates. The Bell 407 that crashed was based in Visalia. American Ambulance responds to calls across four valley counties. This year alone, Skylife has transported about 1,000 patients. Vareli says the helicopter did not have maintenance issues and the crew checked weather conditions before taking off.
"Just a catastrophic loss," Vareli said.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
Story and video: http://www.yourcentralvalley.com
Before the party ended, hundreds of employees were told that three of their colleagues and a patient were killed when a SkyLife helicopter crashed in McFarland during its mission to bring a critically ill patient to San Joaquin Community Hospital.
Marco Lopez, 42, the helicopter's critical care nurse, and Kyle Juarez, 37, the flight paramedic, were not originally scheduled to work Thursday night. But they traded shifts to allow two of their colleagues to attend the party.
Also aboard was 49-year-old pilot Thomas Hampl, a commercially rated helicopter pilot and flight instructor.
“A catastrophic accident has occurred,” American Ambulance President and CEO Todd Valeri said Friday. “It’s been a rough time. This is a great loss and it will be tough to recoup.”
The names of the employees who died were released by Valeri during a news conference in Fresno Friday morning.
SkyLife is a partnership between American Ambulance and Roger's Helicopters, Fresno County EMS Director Dan Lynch said. American Ambulance provides the medical personnel, while Roger's Helicopters provides pilots and maintenance. Ownership of assets is divided evenly between the two companies.
Hampl was an employee of Roger's Helicopters for three years, Valeri said. Lopez had worked for SkyLife for three years. Juarez had worked for American Ambulance for nine years, the last three of which were with SkyLife.
“They are going to be missed,” Valeri said. “They were dedicated to what they do and loved by everyone in this company. Marco worked very hard to get on the SkyLife. Kyle had a smile that would light up a room. When he was in the room you knew it.”
The name of the female patient who was being transported was not released by Friday night.
Initial investigation
According to multiple officials, the cause of the crash of the Bell 407 helicipter is unknown and under investigation.
“We are still in our initial stages of investigation,” Joshua Cawthra, a senior aviation accident investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board, said near the debris field Friday. “We are going to be focusing on man, machine and environment.”
The NTSB is the lead investigatory agency. Initially, the Kern County Sheriff's Office and Kern County Fire Department were investigating the crash, as they were the first to arrive in the area. The NTSB arrived at approximately 11 a.m. Friday.
“There was no distress call through law enforcement or air traffic control,” Cawthra said.
Cawthra said records of radio traffic with air traffic control or other agencies had been gathered; weather data will also be collected to help in the investigation.
There were no reports of power outages or downed power lines, Cawthra said.
“We don't have any reported witnesses … if there is anybody that saw or heard something, please contact the NTSB,” Cawthra said.
A preliminary report will be released by NTSB in approximately five days, Cawthra said. The full report can take six months to one year.
Sequence of events
The helicopter was asked to go to Porterville to transport a Sierra View Medical Center patient in critical condition to San Joaquin Community Hospital in Bakersfield, Valeri said. Shortly after take-off from the Porterville Municipal Airport, at approximately 7:05 p.m., dispatchers tried to contact the helicopter for a location report. American Ambulance makes location reports every 13 minutes, the CEO said.
After being notified that the helicopter was missing, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office sent its Air 1 helicopter to the area where the helicopter was last tracked, and a crash site was found at 8:40 p.m., KCSO Lt. Smallwood said late Thursday night. When the sheriff’s Air 1 helicopter went to the area, it encountered fog and rain, making it difficult to see.
The helicopter had reached a cruising altitude when it “collided with terrain,” Cawthra said. There was no evidence of fire or explosion at the crash site.
“All structural components of the helicopter are present … the debris is fairly fragmented and spread throughout roughly 465 feet,” Cawthra said. “The tail is separated from the fuselage.”
Cawthra said the wreckage will be removed from the site Saturday and taken to a facility near Sacramento.
The helicopter went down in rough terrain north of Sherwood Avenue off Highway 65. Reporters were kept away from the crash site and all news conferences were held on Sherwood Avenue.
“It’s wide open terrain and it’s very muddy in spots,” Cawthra said.
Expressions of sorrow
San Joaquin Community Hospital released a statement extending its condolences.
“On Thursday night, our team of caregivers was preparing to do what they do best: provide hope and life-saving care in a difficult situation. Unfortunately, as the expected SkyLife helicopter was en route, we lost contact. Tragically, four lives — our patient, a pilot, flight paramedic and nurse — were lost in a devastating crash,” SJCH said in a statement on its Facebook page. “Our entire hospital is heartbroken for the families involved. In particular, we think of the first responders that serve as our partners in providing life-saving care to our community.”
The state’s Emergency Medical Services Authority also offered its condolences to the victims’ families, friends and colleagues.
“This is a sad day for California’s EMS community,” EMSA Director Dr. Howard Backer said. “Together with my colleagues at the Emergency Medical Services Authority and with our medical and first responder colleagues across the state, we send heartfelt condolences to the loved ones of the crash victims, and sincere gratitude for their devotion to a profession dedicated to helping others.”
Source: http://www.bakersfield.com
There are no immediate explanations for the crash of an air ambulance out of Visalia that killed three crew members and a critically ill patient who was being transported, a federal official said Friday.
Joshua Cawthra, of the National Transportation Safety Board, said in a late-afternoon news conference at the remote scene of the crash that the helicopter had not struck nearby power lines. Rather, the SkyLife Air Ambulance helicopter was flying at a cruising altitude en route from Porterville to Bakersfield.
“For some reason, the aircraft impacted terrain,” Cawthra said, who added there was no fire on impact. “There are no reported witnesses to the accident ... if anyone saw or heard anything, please contact the NTSB.”
Todd Valeri, the head of American Ambulance, which runs the Skylife service, identified the pilot and medical staff killed in the crash during a news conference Friday.
The pilot was Thomas Hampl, 49, an employee of Rogers Helicopters for three years. The critical-care nurse on the aircraft was Marco Lopez, 42, a three-year SkyLife veteran. And the paramedic on the flight was Kyle Juarez, 37, a nine-year veteran at American Ambulance who spent the last three years on the SkyLife team. Both of the medical staff were from Fresno.
Valeri described Lopez as highly dedicated and “a really smart guy.” Juarez had an outgoing personality and “would light up a room,” he added.
Valeri said a female patient was being transported, but he declined to offer any other details, citing confidentiality rules.
The SkyLife Air Ambulance helicopter was flying a patient from Porterville to San Joaquin Community Hospital when it went down near Highway 65 and Sherwood Avenue east of McFarland.
The cause of the crash is under investigation by the NTSB.
Cawthra said Hampl was a commercially-rated pilot who was also approved to be a flight instructor.
The nurse and paramedic originally assigned to the Skylife helicopter Thursday night traded the shift with Lopez and Juarez to attend the company’s Christmas party, Valeri said.
Despite the need for round-the-clock staffing, 327 of the 600 American Ambulance employees attended the party. Valeri learned that the helicopter missed a positioning report just after 7 p.m.
“That does happen,” he said. “We didn’t automatically think the worst.”
Valeri said the dispatcher working Thursday night “had a gut feeling” and notified him. The next 90 minutes went by “really, really slow” as Valeri and other senior staff of the company waited for confirmation. They got it around 9 p.m., and he notified the employees at the party.
“The party was over at that point.”
The employees gathered in clusters outside the company’s Herndon Avenue office in Clovis as Valeri and Dan Lynch, emergency medical services director for Fresno County, briefed reporters inside.
Ray Pruitt, public information officer of the Kern County Sheriff's Department, on Friday said the helicopter’s tail was separated from the rest of the aircraft. He said the tail was about 30 yards from the helicopter’s cab, which remained relatively intact.
“It looks like the tail broke off,” Pruitt said.
By midafternoon Friday, all four bodies were recovered and taken to the coroner’s office in Bakersfield, Pruitt said.
“They were wonderful people. It’s just so tragic and devastating,” Valeri said.
SkyLife Air Ambulance operates three air ambulance helicopters out of the Fresno and Visalia airports. Valeri said SkyLife has never had a helicopter go down since the partnership with Rogers was formed in 1991. The air ambulance transports about 1,000 patients a year, he said.
The SkyLife team has about 25 medical staff and 12 pilots who work together in alternating shifts.
“It’s a very tight-knit group,” Valeri said.
Lynch gave this account of the crash:
The crew responded to Porterville to pick up the patient from Sierra View Medical Center for transport to San Joaquin Community Hospital. At 6:52 p.m., the crew notified flight dispatch that it was leaving Porterville.
About 7:05 p.m., dispatch tried to raise the helicopter for a routine check in, but got no response. After checking with airport towers in Fresno and Bakersfield, the dispatch center notified Kern County authorities that the aircraft was missing and provided its last GPS reading east of McFarland.
A Kern County sheriff’s helicopter reported about 8:35 p.m. that it had found a debris field. Kern County deputies and fire crews, slowed by fog and darkness, reached the scene about 10 p.m. and confirmed that the patient and the crew of three had perished.
Lynch said the discovery was likely painful for Kern County fire and sheriff’s personnel since they would have met the air crew at crashes and other medical emergencies requiring air transport.
“They were very well liked, these individuals,” Lynch said.
Valeri said weather conditions are always a factor in such flights, but the crew would have checked the weather before lifting off.
Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash, but it may not know what caused it for several months.
Story, video and photos: http://www.fresnobee.com
An air ambulance out of Visalia crashed in an isolated area of Kern County Thursday night, killing the crew of three and the critically ill patient they were transporting, officials said.
The SkyLife Air Ambulance helicopter was flying a patient from Porterville to San Joaquin Community Hospital in Bakersfield when it crashed near Highway 65 and Sherwood Avenue east of McFarland, said Dan Lynch, EMS director for Fresno County. Lynch oversees emergency medical services in Fresno, Madera, Kings and Tulare counties.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
The names of the crew and the patient were not released Thursday night.
Employees of American Ambulance, which operates SkyLife in partnership with Rogers Helicopters, had been at the company’s Christmas party when word of the air disaster spread. They gathered glumly in clusters outside the company’s Herndon Avenue office as Lynch and Todd Valeri, president and CEO of American Ambulance, briefed reporters inside.
Valeri said the company was still trying to notify relatives of some of the crew late Thursday night.
“They were wonderful people. It’s just so tragic and devastating,” Valeri said.
SkyLife Air Ambulance operates three air ambulance helicopters out of the Fresno and Visalia airports. Valeri said SkyLife has never had a helicopter go down since the partnership with Rogers was formed in 1991. The air ambulance transports about 1,000 patients a year, he said.
Lynch said the Bell helicopter was staffed by a “seasoned crew” of a pilot, a flight nurse and a flight paramedic. “They had been a team for quite some time,” he said.
Lynch gave this account of what happened:
The crew responded to Porterville to pick up a patient from Sierra View Medical Center for transport to San Joaquin Community Hospital. At 6:52 p.m., the crew notified flight dispatch that it was leaving Porterville.
About 7:05 p.m., dispatch tried to raise the helicopter for a routine check in, but got no response. After checking with airport towers in Fresno and Bakersfield, the dispatch center notified Kern County authorities that the aircraft was missing and provided its last GPS reading east of McFarland.
A Kern County sheriff’s helicopter reported about 8:35 p.m. that it had found a debris field. Kern County deputies and fire crews, slowed by fog and darkness, reached the scene about 10 p.m. and confirmed that the patient and the crew of three had perished.
Lynch said the discovery was likely as painful for Kern County fire and sheriff’s personnel as it was for American Ambulance staff, since they would have met the air crew at to crashes and other medical emergencies requiring air transport.
“They were very well liked, these individuals,” Lynch said.
Valeri said weather conditions are always a factor in such flights, but the crew would have checked the weather before lifting off.
Story and video: http://www.fresnobee.com
The fire department said a debris field has been found near Sherwood and Highway 65 in Kern County. A reporter from our sister station KERO in Bakersfield took pictures in the area where the crash occurred which shows it being very foggy.
The Fresno County Department of Emergency Medical Services said the SkyLife crew departed Porterville airport with a critical patient and were transporting to San Joaquin Community Hospital in Bakersfield. On board was the helicopter pilot, a flight nurse, a flight paramedic and the patient.
According to the FAA the tail number of the helicopter matches that of an American Ambulance Helicopter out of Fresno. Action News shot video of that same helicopter just this past September after it nearly crashed into a drone.
The Fresno County EMS Dispatch Center was unable to make contact with the helicopter at 7:05pm. Dispatchers then contacted Kern County fire and the sheriff's office to let them know of the missing American Ambulance Helicopter.
A press conference was held where the CEO of American ambulance, Todd Valeri, spoke about the tragedy, "We have a gather of our-- we call it the SkyLife family. The people who work at SkyLife are a very close knit group. Tonight we're gathering and consoling each other, and sharing memories."
Story and video: http://abc30.com
