Fog May Have Contributed To Accident

A medical transport helicopter is down in California. The accident occurred Sunday night, when a Bell 412 went down in Cajon Pass, 55 miles northeast of Los Angeles as it was flying back to its base in Victorville.

The Associated Press reports the pilot and two crew members onboard were killed in the crash. Authorities say may have been caused by fog in the pass... but the official cause of the accident remains a mystery at this time.

Witnesses told police they saw the helicopter "in distress" before it went down, said San Bernardino Sheriff's Department spokesman Arden Wilshire.

The helicopter belonged to Mercy Air Service, Inc. The company is a subsidiary of the nation's largest air ambulance operator, Air Methods Corp.

The crash sparked a small brush fire.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 410MA        Make/Model: B12       Description: 212, 412, TWIN TWO-TWELVE, GRIFFON, ARAP
  Date: 12/10/2006     Time: 0200

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: CAJON JUNCTION              State: CA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  N410MA, A BELL 412 ROTORCRAFT, CRASHED DURING A REPOSITIONING FLIGHT FROM
  LOMA LINDA MEDICAL CENTER, THE THREE PERSONS ON BOARD WERE FATALLY INJURED,
  CAJON PASS, CA

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   3
                 # Crew:   3     Fat:   3     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: NOT REPORTED

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Pleasure      Phase: Other      Operation: OTHER

  Departed: LOMA LINDA, CA              Dep Date:    Dep. Time:     
  Destination: VICTORVILLE, CA          Flt Plan:              Wx Briefing: 
  Last Radio Cont: 
  Last Clearance: 

  FAA FSDO: RIVERSIDE, CA  (WP21)                 Entry date: 12/11/2006

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.airmethods.com