2006 Mercy Air Bell 412 crash

Aviation accident in the United States February 2025 2006 Mercy Air helicopter accident Mercy-412-N410MA-050228-02cr.jpg The accident aircraft, Mercy Air 2, departs Mojave, CA in February 2005 December 10, 2006 December 10, 2006 Crashed in fog Accident Cajon Pass, San Bernardino County, California Southern California Logistics Airport, Victorville, California. 3 Bell 412SP Mercy Air Services, Inc. N410MA 3 0 The 2006 Mercy Air helicopter accident occurred on December 10, 2006, about 17:55 Pacific Standard Time, when a Bell 412SP helicopter, call sign "Mercy Air 2" impacted mountainous terrain near Hesperia, California and the Cajon Pass. The commercial helicopter pilot and two medical crew members were killed, and the helicopter was destroyed by impact forces and a postcrash fire. NTSB Preliminary Report: LAX07FA056 National Transportation Safety Board 2006-12-20 2007-06-18 https://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20061220X01815&key=1 https://web.archive.org/web/20070929130926/http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20061220X01815&key=1 2007-09-29 On December 10, 2006, about 1755 Pacific standard time, a Bell 412SP helicopter, N410MA, call sign "Mercy Air 2", impacted mountainous terrain near Hesperia, California. LifeNet, Inc., d.b.a. Mercy Air Services, Inc., was operating the helicopter under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot and two medical crew members sustained fatal injuries; the helicopter was destroyed. A post-impact fire ensued. On July 30, 2008, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released its probable-cause report on the accident. According to the NTSB, the probable cause of the crash was "the pilot's inadvertent encounter with instrument meteorological conditions and subsequent failure to maintain terrain clearance." The dark night conditions, fog, and mountainous terrain were ruled to be contributing factors. Aviation Investigation Final Report (LAX07FA056) National Transportation Safety Board 2008-07-30 2009-01-10 https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/64991/pdf Accident details The Bell 412SP helicopter took off on a cross-country repositioning flight from Loma Linda University Medical Center (94CL), Loma Linda, California, at 17:42, with a planned destination of Southern California Logistics Airport (VCV), Victorville, California. Mercy Air 2 had transported a woman injured in a horse-riding accident in Phelan, California,http://www.jems.com/safety/articles/244592/ Air crews mourn 3 killed in Cajon Pass Los Angeles Times Jonathan Abrams Maeve Reston 2006-12-12 It had been returning to its base in Victorville after flying a woman injured in a horse-riding accident in Phelan to Loma Linda University Medical Center, authorities said. 2007-06-20 2007-01-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20070127220234/http://www.jems.com/safety/articles/244592/ dead to Loma Linda, and was returning to its assigned base at the time of the accident, with only the pilot and two medical crew members on board. LifeNet, Inc., doing business as Mercy Air Service, Inc., was operating the helicopter under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. An FAA representative stated the helicopter was being operated under visual flight rules and was not being handled by air traffic control, a practice he called "perfectly normal."http://www.firerescue1.com/news/244567/ 3 die in Calif. medevac helicopter crash : Aircraft goes down in fog near the summit of Cajon Pass en route to its base after dropping a patient off at a hospital. Los Angeles Times Duke Helfand Evelyn Larrubia 2006-12-12 FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said...the helicopter was being operated under visual flight rules and not being handled by air traffic control, a practice he called "perfectly normal." At 18:00, the San Bernardino County Fire Department dispatch center started to receive numerous calls of an object falling from the sky, an explosion, and fire northeast of Interstate 15 in the area of Oak Hills.November 2025 The first fire department responders to the accident site reported that the area was covered by intermittent waves of fog, which made locating the wreckage difficult.November 2025 The accident site was located on mountainous terrain on a 45° slope at an elevation of 4000 to 4300 ft m on above mean sea level, below a large electrical transmission tower, a little more than a mile east of I-15, and north of Highway 138. It is in a rural area with dirt roads, and no streetlights.http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_D_chopper11.39f5d0c.html Press-Enterprise Three killed in helicopter crash : The air ambulance, flying through fog, goes down in a rural area and catches fire. 2006-12-10 Moore Steve The Mercy Air Service Inc. helicopter had just left Loma Linda University Medical Center after dropping off a fall victim from Phelan and was headed back to its home base... 2007-06-19 2007-09-26 https://web.archive.org/web/20070926215609/http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_D_chopper11.39f5d0c.html dead The approximate global positioning system (GPS) coordinates of the primary wreckage were: 34 20.534 N 117 25.884 W type:landmark inline,title. First responders reported that upon their arrival, the scene was fully engulfed in fire. The postimpact fire consumed around 2 acre m2 of mountainside, and made any reconstruction of the wreckage impossible. The first identified point of impact, a ground scar located next to the separated tail boom and the left skid, was near the base of the mountainous terrain, with the debris path emanating upslope. The debris path consisted of the tail boom, both skids, both engines, the main rotor assembly, and various other fuselage panels. The energy path was measured on a 155° bearing from the first identified impact point. No distress call was received from the aircraft.http://www.dailybulletin.com/search/ci_4823449 Inland Valley Daily Bulletin Crash probe starts : Copter made no distress call 2006-12-12 McCarthy Guy Robert Rogers, Staff Writers Craig Yale, vice president of corporate development for Air Methods Corp., the Englewood, Colo., parent company of Mercy Air, said during a 10:30 a.m. news conference at the company's Rialto headquarters that LaTour was a former military pilot with 18 years and 3,000-plus hours of flight experience. Initial speculation that the aircraft went down after hitting electrical wires was quickly eliminated as a cause. Examination of the maintenance and flight department records revealed no unresolved maintenance discrepancies against the helicopter prior to departure. The helicopter was built in 1987 and refurbished in May 2004, and had no previous accident history. Weather information thumb|left|280px|Cajon Pass Visual meteorological conditions predominantly prevailed along the route of flight, and a company visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan had been filed. The Cajon Pass area is known for high wind, turbulence, and fog. Fog was heavy due to a marine layer that rolled in at 4000 ft m on and winds were said to be erratic. http://archive.vvdailypress.com/news/20061213/medevac-rescues-risky-business-fatalities-double-questions-raised Daily Press Medevac rescues risky business Fatalities double; questions raised Catherine Wilkinson 2006-12-13 Fog was heavy due to a marine layer that rolled in at 4000 ft m -2 and winds were said to be erratic. 2007-06-19 https://web.archive.org/web/20070928075013/http://archive.vvdailypress.com/news/20061213/medevac-rescues-risky-business-fatalities-double-questions-raised 2007-09-28 dead Reported weather conditions from VCV, 15 nmi km on northeast of the accident site, were visibility 10 smi km on; a broken cloud layer at 3800 ft m on, and an overcast cloud layer at 4900 ft m on; temperature 11 °C; dew point 3 °C; altimeter 30.17 inHg hPa on. Weather conditions at Ontario International Airport, Ontario, California, 19 nmi km on southwest of the accident site, were visibility 10 smi km on; a broken cloud layer at 3800 ft m on, and an overcast cloud layer at 5500 ft m on; temperature 13 °C; dew point 6 °C; altimeter 30.19 inHg hPa on. GPS data Mercy Air 2 was equipped with the OuterLink Automatic Flight Following System, a satellite-based tracking system that reports the helicopter's location to the ground base while it is in operation. The unit installed in the accident helicopter reported date, time, latitude, and longitude at 30 sec intervals. The installed system was capable of recording the altitude and airspeed, but Mercy Air had not yet installed the software upgrade required to make those parameters functional. The NTSB investigator-in-charge reviewed the data from the Outerlink system. The satellite data indicated that the helicopter departed from 94CL and flew towards the Cajon Pass in a northwest direction. The flight path then followed the northbound Interstate 15 until it had almost reached the summit of the Cajon Pass. The global positioning system (GPS) tracked the helicopter as it continued toward the northeast, while the Interstate turned toward the north. The last known position of Mercy Air 2 was recorded at 17:55, and was 0.3 nmi m on northwest of the first identified impact point. Accident histories Company Air Methods, Corp., the Colorado-based parent company of Mercy Air, is the largest emergency medical services helicopter operator in the United States, with a fleet of 208 medical transport helicopters at the time of this accident. Air Methods had, after this accident, a total of 19 accidents leading to the deaths of 21 people nationwide according to the NTSB's records.Fatal Crash Raises Air Ambulance Safety Concerns 2006-12-21 Ana Garcia KNBC-TV News (Los Angeles) http://www.knbc.com/news/10581778/detail.html The Air Methods companies have had 19 crashes leading to the deaths of 21 people nationwide according to the National Transportation Safety Board. 2007-06-19 2007-09-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20070927014925/http://www.knbc.com/news/10581778/detail.html dead Air Methods companies have had three other fatal accidents in the last 10 years. On September 7, 2002, three crew members died when a Mercy Air helicopter based in Nevada crashed in Nipton, California after the main rotor blades separated while maneuvering in flight after dark. In January 2005, an Air Methods helicopter crashed in Washington, D.C., with two dead and one injured, and another crashed in Mississippi killing one. Craig Yale, the vice president of corporate development for Air Methods, stated in a news conference shortly after the accident that, "We fly over 100,000 hours a year, 85,000 missions a year, and in doing so have had very few fatal accidents over a 10-year period." Industry The U.S. FAA estimates that 650 emergency medical helicopters are in operation in the United States. Medical Helicopter Crash Kills 3 2006-12-12 Associated Press EMSresponder.com http://www.emsresponder.com/article/article.jsp?siteSection=1&id=4537 There are about 650 emergency medical service helicopters operating in the U.S., according to the FAA. 2007-06-20 https://web.archive.org/web/20070927041208/http://www.emsresponder.com/article/article.jsp?siteSection=1&id=4537 2007-09-27 dead In a 2006 NTSB special investigation report on the industry, the board reported emergency medical helicopter flight hours increased by 54% since 1991, but the rate of accidents per 100,000 flight hours increased 77%.http://www.pe.com/localnews/rialto/stories/PE_News_Local_D_mercy12.3a9de9c.html#pop Press-Enterprise Helicopters grounded : The number of crashes has increased in recent years, a federal study finds. 2006-12-12 Duane W. Gang Lisa O'Neill-Hill and Paul LaRocco The pilot, nurse, and paramedic of an air ambulance that crashed Sunday night in a foggy, hilly area near the summit of the Cajon Pass were an experienced crew, company officials and colleagues said Monday. 2007-06-19 2007-09-29 https://web.archive.org/web/20070929083215/http://www.pe.com/localnews/rialto/stories/PE_News_Local_D_mercy12.3a9de9c.html#pop dead FAA reports show that these accidents frequently involve controlled flight into terrain, spatial disorientation, and weather. http://www.crestlinecourier-news.com/articles/2006/12/14/news/news1.txt Crestline Courier-News (Lake Arrowhead, California) Crash Kills 3 2006-12-14 Mercy Air is San Bernardino County's only private, permitted helicopter ambulance service provider.September 2018 InternetArchiveBot yes "On the accident reports I have reviewed, there doesn't appear to be a common thread linking these accidents," according to independent safety expert Barry Schiff. Three out of four of those accidents, though, occurred when no patient was on board the aircraft—a fact aviation lawyer and helicopter pilot Justin Green said is attributed to lax regulations by the FAA. When no patient or organ is aboard, the helicopters can be operated VFR under less restrictive Part 91 regulations, as the accident flight was. The NTSB had previously recommended that the FAA require all operations to be conducted under the more restrictive Part 135 regulations whenever medical personnel are on board. NTSB/SIR-06/01: Special Investigation Report on Emergency Medical Services Operations National Transportation Safety Board 2007-06-23 https://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/2006/SIR0601.pdf Safety of emergency medical services flights Related information Post accident information The company grounded most of its fleet following the crash, and began resuming normal operations two days later on Tuesday December 12, 2006.http://www.pe.com/localnews/rialto/stories/PE_News_Local_C_mercy13.3486b1a.html Press-Enterprise Mercy aircraft missions resume : Some crews are back in service after the fleet was grounded following a crash Sunday. 2006-12-13 Ghori Imran Lisa O'Neill Hill and Ben Goad Two days after a helicopter crash claimed the lives of a three-person crew, an air ambulance service resumed operations Tuesday with almost half of its Southern California fleet back in the air. 2007-06-19 2007-09-29 https://web.archive.org/web/20070929095447/http://www.pe.com/localnews/rialto/stories/PE_News_Local_C_mercy13.3486b1a.html dead An estimated 3,000 people, mostly uniformed nurses, medics and firefighters, attended a three-hour memorial for the flight crew a week after the accident.http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_memorial19.38e2f2c.html Press-Enterprise 3,000 attend service for chopper crew : Family and friends share stories of the three victims of a helicopter accident. 2006-12-18 LaRocco Paul In a three-hour memorial for pilot Paul Latour, flight nurse Katrina Kish, and flight medic Jerry Miller, it was the one show of simultaneous, outward emotion from the crowd of mostly uniformed nurses, medics, and firefighters. 2007-06-19 2007-09-26 https://web.archive.org/web/20070926215920/http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_memorial19.38e2f2c.html dead This accident also led to increased efforts to establish a trauma center in the high desert region of San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties.http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_B_bmeeting26.bf61e6.html Press-Enterprise San Bernardino County leaders say trauma center a big priority 2007-03-25 Duane W Gang The construction of a trauma center at an existing hospital in the region has long been a priority for local leaders, even more so after a Mercy Air helicopter ambulance crashed in December, killing its three-member crew. 2007-06-19 2007-09-29 https://web.archive.org/web/20070929083113/http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_B_bmeeting26.bf61e6.html dead References 2 https://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20061220X01815&key=1 NTSB Preliminary Report: LAX07FA056 External links Three killed in Mercy Air helicopter crash Flight Web news summary Mercy Air picture gallery 12/11/2006 https://web.archive.org/web/20070929095620/http://www.pe.com/dayphotos/mercy-2006-12-11/3.html?Site=www.pe.com 2007-09-29 from The Press-Enterprise Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in California Mercy Air helicopter accident 2006 Category:History of San Bernardino County, California Category:Hesperia, California crash Mercy Air helicopter accident Category:December 2006 in the United States Category:Aviation accidents and incidents involving the Bell 412