I knew some of these people, worked with the crews when I worked as a medic in the N. Sac. Valley years ago. They flew agusta 109's, very nice helos.
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Helicopter accident in Mendocino County kills three people
By TERENCE CHEA, Associated Press Writer
Last Updated 6:15 p.m. PST Wednesday, December 24, 2003
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Federal authorities are investigating a helicopter accident that killed three people Tuesday night in Mendocino County in northern California.
The medical helicopter crashed into a mountain near Ukiah, a city about 120 miles north of San Francisco, said Donn Walker, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration.
The three victims - a pilot and two nurses - were employees of Redwood Empire Air Care Helicopter, a privately owned Santa Rosa firm that provides air ambulance services in northern California. No patients were on board at the time.
REACH officials on Wednesday identified the victms as pilot Art Gotisar, of Napa, and flight nurses Kelly Bates, of Point Richmond, and Diane Codding, of Santa Rosa.
"They were all experienced flight crew members," said REACH spokesman Pat McDonald. "They've been with us for a number of years."
The aircraft, which originally departed from Santa Rosa, had stopped in Ukiah on its way to Willits, about 20 miles further north. After leaving Ukiah, the pilot decided to turn back due to poor weather conditions.
On its return, the helicopter crashed into a mountain around 7:30 p.m. and was destroyed by the impact and a resulting fire, Walker said.
The cause of the crash has not been determined. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident, Walker said.
The company wasn't sure why the pilot decided to turn back, but McDonald said, "It is not uncommon for REACH helicopters to fly in inclement weather."
The crew was on its way to Willits to pick up a patient to bring to a hospital in the San Francisco Bay area, McDonald said.
Tuesday's crash was the first accident the company, which owns nine helicopters, has had since it was founded in 1987, McDonald said. The helicopter was a Agusta 109, which can seat about five passengers.
