2006 Mercy Air Bell 412 crash

2006 Mercy Air helicopter accident
The accident aircraft, Mercy Air 2, departs Mojave, CA in February 2005
Accident
DateDecember 10, 2006 (2006-12-10)
SummaryCrashed in fog
SiteCajon Pass, San Bernardino County, California
Aircraft
Aircraft typeBell 412SP
OperatorMercy Air Services, Inc.
RegistrationN410MA
DestinationSouthern California
Logistics Airport,
Victorville, California.
Crew3
Fatalities3
Injuries0
Survivors0

The 2006 Mercy Air helicopter accident occurred on December 10, 2006, about 17:55 Pacific Standard Time, when a Bell 412SP helicopter, call sign "Mercy Air 2" impacted mountainous terrain near Hesperia, California and the Cajon Pass.[1] The commercial helicopter pilot and two medical crew members were killed, and the helicopter was destroyed by impact forces and a postcrash fire.[2]

On July 30, 2008, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released its probable-cause report on the accident. According to the NTSB, the probable cause of the crash was "the pilot's inadvertent encounter with instrument meteorological conditions and subsequent failure to maintain terrain clearance." The dark night conditions, fog, and mountainous terrain were ruled to be contributing factors.[3]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Ghori was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "NTSB Preliminary Report: LAX07FA056". National Transportation Safety Board. 2006-12-20. Retrieved 2007-06-18. On December 10, 2006, about 1755 Pacific standard time, a Bell 412SP helicopter, N410MA, call sign "Mercy Air 2", impacted mountainous terrain near Hesperia, California. LifeNet, Inc., d.b.a. Mercy Air Services, Inc., was operating the helicopter under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot and two medical crew members sustained fatal injuries; the helicopter was destroyed. A post-impact fire ensued.
  3. ^ "NTSB Probable Cause Report: LAX07FA056". National Transportation Safety Board. 2008-07-30. Retrieved 2009-01-10.