KSLA News 12 Shreveport, Louisiana |Report: Helicopter plummeted 600 feet in 8 seconds
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By Brian White - email
TUCSON, AZ (KOLD) - A preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board has been released on last week's helicopter crash in midtown.
The three first responders who perished in the crash experienced a drop of 600 feet in 8 seconds, the report details.
Eyewitness accounts are also described of the helicopter's behavior during the decent.
Before the craft dropped from the air, witnesses said they saw the helicopter "flying steadily in a southwest direction."
People nearby said in the report thay they heard unusual 'whump, whump' sounds combined with 'intermittent popping.'
The reports details how the helicopter was unusually quiet during the descent.
As the helicopter turned it became more 'vertical' before it impacted the ground and burst into flames, the report said.
We'll have more on this report on KOLD News Live at Noon.
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The following is the report from last Wednesday:
Air Methods has released the names of the three people who died in a helicopter crash Wednesday. They've been identified as: Brenda French, 28, Paramedic; Parker Summons, 41, Nurse; and Alexander Kelley, 61, Pilot.
Air Methods Corporation reported that a Eurocopter AS350 helicopter based in Douglas, Arizona crashed at approximately 1:40 p.m. in Tucson, according to a Company spokesperson.
The paramedic, flight nurse and pilot on board the aircraft received fatal injuries.
No patients were on board at the time of the accident. The aircraft operated in support of the company's LifeNet Arizona program.
Representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the accident with full cooperation and support from the Company.
"This is a sad day for all of us at Air Methods and we extend our heartfelt sympathy to the family and friends of our employees who perished while on duty," said Aaron Todd, chief executive officer of Air Methods Corporation.
The helicopter is owned by Colorado-based AirMethods. Company officials declined comment on the incident, according to the Associated Press.
Ricardo Carrasco says the helicopter's rotors stop working and the craft plummeted to the ground. He says the pilot managed to steer it away from the house.
Details on Air Methods Corporation and LifeNet:
Air Methods Corporation was established in Colorado in 1980 and now serves as the largest provider of air medical emergency transport services and systems throughout the United States, according to the Air Method website.
Air Methods provides air medical emergency transport services under two separate operating models: the Community-Based Model and the Hospital-Based Model.
In October 2002, the corporation acquired 100 percent of the membership interest of Rocky Mountain Holdings, which conducted both CBM and HBM operations. RMH, Mercy Air Service, Inc., and LifeNet, Inc. operate as wholly-owned subsidiaries of Air Methods.
Under both of the operations, Air Methods transport people requiring intensive medical care from either the scene of an accident or general care hospitals, to highly skilled trauma centers or tertiary care centers.
Under the CBM model, employees provide medical care to patients en route. Under the HBM delivery model, medical care en route is provided by employees or contractors of the customer hospitals.
©2010 KOLD. All rights reserved.
