What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On December 10, 2015, at 1908 PDT, N408FC, an EMS Bell 407 helicopter, was involved in a fatal accident when the helicopter impacted with terrain in the vicinity of Mcfarland, CA. The aircraft was enroute from porterville airport (kptv) to the san joaquin hospital located in bakersfield, CA with a patient onboard. All occupants onboard the aircraft sustained fatal injuries.
At the time of the accident the weather forecast reported visual meteorological conditions with 10 statue miles visibility and an overcast cloud layer of 6000FT.
METAR : kbfl 110254Z 28004KT 10SM OVC060 14/11 A2991 rmk AO2 RAE0158 SLP128 P0000 60000 T01440111 51010
When search and rescue was approaching the search area they had to pospone the search due to low clouds and visibility.
Radar tracks and company flight tracking software revealed that the aircraft made a sudden left 180 degree descending turn, causing the aircraft to collide with the hilly terrain. The reason why the pilot made the turn is not clear at this time.
Initial examination of the wreckage concurs with the radar track data. The initial impact with terrain was the main rotor blades followed by the left side of the fuselage. The aicraft debris path was approximately 465 ft long. There was no post crash fire.
Examination of the engine indicated that the engine was running at the time of impact, additionally examination of the transmission revealed no abnormalities. The transmision chip detectors exhibited no magnetic debris. Please note that further analysis is being conducted by the NTSB to verify these statements.
As the FAA filed it
ON DECEMBER 10, 2015, AT 1908 PDT, N408FC, AN EMS BELL 407 HELICOPTER, WAS INVOLVED IN A FATAL ACCIDENT WHEN THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED WITH TERRAIN IN THE VICINITY OF MCFARLAND, CA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ENROUTE FROM PORTERVILLE AIRPORT (KPTV) TO THE SAN JOAQUIN HOSPITAL LOCATED IN BAKERSFIELD, CA WITH A PATIENT ONBOARD. ALL OCCUPANTS ONBOARD THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES.
AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE WEATHER FORECAST REPORTED VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITH 10 STATUE MILES VISIBILITY AND AN OVERCAST CLOUD LAYER OF 6000FT.
METAR : KBFL 110254Z 28004KT 10SM OVC060 14/11 A2991 RMK AO2 RAE0158 SLP128 P0000 60000 T01440111 51010
WHEN SEARCH AND RESCUE WAS APPROACHING THE SEARCH AREA THEY HAD TO POSPONE THE SEARCH DUE TO LOW CLOUDS AND VISIBILITY.
RADAR TRACKS AND COMPANY FLIGHT TRACKING SOFTWARE REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT MADE A SUDDEN LEFT 180 DEGREE DESCENDING TURN, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO COLLIDE WITH THE HILLY TERRAIN. THE REASON WHY THE PILOT MADE THE TURN IS NOT CLEAR AT THIS TIME.
INITIAL EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE CONCURS WITH THE RADAR TRACK DATA. THE INITIAL IMPACT WITH TERRAIN WAS THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES FOLLOWED BY THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE. THE AICRAFT DEBRIS PATH WAS APPROXIMATELY 465 FT LONG. THERE WAS NO POST CRASH FIRE.
EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AT THE TIME OF IMPACT, ADDITIONALLY EXAMINATION OF THE TRANSMISSION REVEALED NO ABNORMALITIES. THE TRANSMISION CHIP DETECTORS EXHIBITED NO MAGNETIC DEBRIS. PLEASE NOTE THAT FURTHER ANALYSIS IS BEING CONDUCTED BY THE NTSB TO VERIFY THESE STATEMENTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.