What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On July 13, 2004, at 0535 eastern daylight time, a Bell 407 helicopter, N503MT, operated by med-trans corporation, was on an emergency medical services (EMS) mission when it collided with trees shortly after takeoff from interstate highway I-26 near Newberry, south carolina. The pilot, flight nurse, flight paramedic, and patient received fatal injuries. The helicopter was destroyed by impact and post-crash fire. The 14 CFR part 135 EMS flight was enroute to the spartanburg regional medical center where it had departed at 0502. Night visual meteorological conditions with mist and light fog prevailed in the area of the accident site. The flight was on a company flight plan and was receiving flight following from regional one communications provided by spartanburg 911.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JULY 13, 2004, AT 0535 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 407 HELICOPTER, N503MT, OPERATED BY MED-TRANS CORPORATION, WAS ON AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (EMS) MISSION WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TREES SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM INTERSTATE HIGHWAY I-26 NEAR NEWBERRY, SOUTH CAROLINA. THE PILOT, FLIGHT NURSE, FLIGHT PARAMEDIC, AND PATIENT RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. THE HELICOPTER WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT AND POST-CRASH FIRE. THE 14 CFR PART 135 EMS FLIGHT WAS ENROUTE TO THE SPARTANBURG REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER WHERE IT HAD DEPARTED AT 0502. NIGHT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITH MIST AND LIGHT FOG PREVAILED IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE FLIGHT WAS ON A COMPANY FLIGHT PLAN AND WAS RECEIVING FLIGHT FOLLOWING FROM REGIONAL ONE COMMUNICATIONS PROVIDED BY SPARTANBURG 911.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.