What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23)On 12/8/2007, the crew of an Alaska air national guard pave hawk helicopter found aircraft wreckage and human remains that washed up on the north shore of passage canal, which leads into Whittier, Alaska. The air ambulance helicopter, operated by evergreen helicopters, vanished Monday evening, 12/3/2007, about 40 minutes into a scheduled 90-minute flight between cordova, Alaska and providence hospital, anchorage, Alaska. Onboard the helicopter were the pilot, a paramedic, a flight nurse and a patient. A door, part of the debris recovered, was identified by an FAA inspector as the aft left sliding door for a bk 117 helicopter. It appears that the door broke off the helicopter during impact with the water and/or ground. Additionally, two flight helmets and night vision goggles were found. On 12/09/2007, medical equipment from the downed helicopter was found along the shore of passage canal. Still missing are the pilot, the paramedic and the patient. The investigation continues.
As the FAA filed it
(-23)ON 12/8/2007, THE CREW OF AN ALASKA AIR NATIONAL GUARD PAVE HAWK HELICOPTER FOUND AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE AND HUMAN REMAINS THAT WASHED UP ON THE NORTH SHORE OF PASSAGE CANAL, WHICH LEADS INTO WHITTIER, ALASKA. THE AIR AMBULANCE HELICOPTER, OPERATED BY EVERGREEN HELICOPTERS, VANISHED MONDAY EVENING, 12/3/2007, ABOUT 40 MINUTES INTO A SCHEDULED 90-MINUTE FLIGHT BETWEEN CORDOVA, ALASKA AND PROVIDENCE HOSPITAL, ANCHORAGE, ALASKA. ONBOARD THE HELICOPTER WERE THE PILOT, A PARAMEDIC, A FLIGHT NURSE AND A PATIENT. A DOOR, PART OF THE DEBRIS RECOVERED, WAS IDENTIFIED BY AN FAA INSPECTOR AS THE AFT LEFT SLIDING DOOR FOR A BK 117 HELICOPTER. IT APPEARS THAT THE DOOR BROKE OFF THE HELICOPTER DURING IMPACT WITH THE WATER AND/OR GROUND. ADDITIONALLY, TWO FLIGHT HELMETS AND NIGHT VISION GOGGLES WERE FOUND. ON 12/09/2007, MEDICAL EQUIPMENT FROM THE DOWNED HELICOPTER WAS FOUND ALONG THE SHORE OF PASSAGE CANAL. STILL MISSING ARE THE PILOT, THE PARAMEDIC AND THE PATIENT. THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.