What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft operated under part 135 helicopter air ambulance dropped passenger off at uc davis medical center then departed northbound enroute to mclelland airport to refuel. Shortly after departure, engine data shows throttle control input change from "flight" to "idle" leading to a loss of power. The aircraft descended toward a nearby freeway to land eastbound with the flow of traffic. The aircraft impacted the south embankment of the freeway at a high angle and low energy. All three crewmembers were critically injured in the impact and the aircraft was destroyed. The crewmembers were transported to the hospital and one crewmember later passed away from the critical injuries sustained in the accident.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT OPERATED UNDER PART 135 HELICOPTER AIR AMBULANCE DROPPED PASSENGER OFF AT UC DAVIS MEDICAL CENTER THEN DEPARTED NORTHBOUND ENROUTE TO MCLELLAND AIRPORT TO REFUEL. SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE, ENGINE DATA SHOWS THROTTLE CONTROL INPUT CHANGE FROM "FLIGHT" TO "IDLE" LEADING TO A LOSS OF POWER. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED TOWARD A NEARBY FREEWAY TO LAND EASTBOUND WITH THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE SOUTH EMBANKMENT OF THE FREEWAY AT A HIGH ANGLE AND LOW ENERGY. ALL THREE CREWMEMBERS WERE CRITICALLY INJURED IN THE IMPACT AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. THE CREWMEMBERS WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL AND ONE CREWMEMBER LATER PASSED AWAY FROM THE CRITICAL INJURIES SUSTAINED IN THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.