Luftambulansehavari i USA - AVweb

Four Killed In California Med-evac Crash

By Mary Grady

A twin-engine Piper PA-31 Cheyenne being flown for a medical transport mission crashed in Humboldt County, California, near the Oregon border, on Friday morning, killing all four on board. The pilot had reported smoke filling the cockpit at about 1 a.m., according to FAA spokesman Ian Gregor. The airplane had taken off about 30 minutes earlier, headed for Oakland, about 360 miles away. The pilot told ATC he would try to return to Crescent City, but controllers then lost contact. The flight was operated by Reach Air Medical Services for Cal-Ore Life Flight. A medic, a nurse, the pilot, and a patient were on board the airplane, officials said. Initial searches for the airplane were hampered by fog, but the wreckage was found at about 10 a.m. The debris field spans about a quarter of a mile in a densely forested area. The NTSB will be investigating the crash.