What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On Friday March 6, 2015 at approximately 23:10 hours central standard time, pilot in
Command Mr. Ronald s. rector, flying air methods corporation helicopter N356AM call sign arch 26 crashed in the parking lot associated with the st. Louis university hospital (sluh) tenet cancer center building. N356AM approached the hospital complex from the south southwest (ssw). While repositioning the aircraft for landing on sluh elevated heliport, the rotor system struck the upper floors of the tenet cancer center located on the northwest side of the hospital complex. The aircraft fell to the parking lot approximately 15 feet west of the building and burst into flames. The aircraft was totally destroyed in the crash sequence and associated post crash fire. Mr. Rector was the sole occupant of the aircraft. He sustained fatal injuries in the crash.
As the FAA filed it
ON FRIDAY MARCH 6, 2015 AT APPROXIMATELY 23:10 HOURS CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, PILOT IN
COMMAND MR. RONALD S. RECTOR, FLYING AIR METHODS CORPORATION HELICOPTER N356AM CALL SIGN ARCH 26 CRASHED IN THE PARKING LOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE ST. LOUIS UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL (SLUH) TENET CANCER CENTER BUILDING. N356AM APPROACHED THE HOSPITAL COMPLEX FROM THE SOUTH SOUTHWEST (SSW). WHILE REPOSITIONING THE AIRCRAFT FOR LANDING ON SLUH ELEVATED HELIPORT, THE ROTOR SYSTEM STRUCK THE UPPER FLOORS OF THE TENET CANCER CENTER LOCATED ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF THE HOSPITAL COMPLEX. THE AIRCRAFT FELL TO THE PARKING LOT APPROXIMATELY 15 FEET WEST OF THE BUILDING AND BURST INTO FLAMES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED IN THE CRASH SEQUENCE AND ASSOCIATED POST CRASH FIRE. MR. RECTOR WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT. HE SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES IN THE CRASH.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.