On June 29, 2008, at 1547 Mountain Standard Time, a Bell 407 emergency medical service (EMS)
helicopter, N407GA, and a Bell 407 EMS helicopter, N407MJ, collided in mid air while approaching
the Flagstaff Medical Center helipad (3AZ0), Flagstaff, Arizona. Both helicopters were destroyed.
N407GA's commercial pilot, flight nurse, and patient sustained fatal injuries; and N407MJ's
commercial pilot, flight paramedic, flight nurse, and patient sustained fatal injuries. N407GA was
operated by Air Methods Corp., Englewood, Colorado, and registered to Flagstaff Medical Center,
Flagstaff, Arizona. N407MJ was operated by Classic Helicopter Services, Page, Arizona, and
registered to M&J Leisure, L.L.C., Ogden, Utah. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and
company flight plans were filed for each of the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 air
medical flights. N407GA's flight departed the Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG), Flagstaff, at 1544,
and N407MJ's flight departed the Grand Canyon National Park Service South Rim helibase, Tusayan,
Arizona, at 1517.
At 1516, the pilot of N407GA, call sign Angel 1, contacted Guardian Air dispatch at FLG and
reported that they were departing Winslow, Arizona, with four people on board; the pilot, the two
flight nurses and the patient. The pilot stated that his estimated time en route was 25 minutes
and he was either going to land at FLG or proceed directly to the Flagstaff Medical Center (FMC)
helipad. The pilot was not sure if he would be at the proper weight to land with enough power
margin to execute an out of ground effect hover on the rooftop helipad. At 1519, the Guardian Air
dispatch transportation coordinator contacted FMC and reported that Angel 1 was inbound to the
helipad in approximately 23 minutes.
At 1519, the pilot of N407MJ, call sign Lifeguard 2, contacted their communications center and
reported that they had departed the south rim of the Grand Canyon and were en route to FMC with an
estimated time en route of 32 minutes, and four people on board; the pilot, the flight nurse, the
flight paramedic, and the patient. About a minute later, the pilot of Angel 1 called Guardian Air
dispatch and reported that they were going to "drop one" at FLG before proceeding to land at
Flagstaff Medical Center.
At 1523, the dispatcher on duty at Classic Helicopter Service contacted Guardian Air dispatch and
reported that Lifeguard 2 was en route to FMC and would be arriving from the north. The dispatcher
also reported that it would be a "cold drop," and the emergency department at the hospital had
already been notified. The Guardian Air dispatch transportation coordinator then informed the
Classic dispatcher that Angel 1 was also en route and would be landing at Flagstaff Medical Center in 20 minutes.
At the end of that call, the Guardian Air dispatch transportation coordinator called FMC and statedthat Lifeguard 2 would also be landing at the hospital in "about twenty-eight minutes...and they know about mine coming in." The person who answered the phone in the emergency department responded, "all right." The transport coordinator then contacted the pilot of Angel 1 and informed him that Lifeguard 2 would also be landing at Flagstaff Medical Center in approximately 28 minutes. The pilot responded, "Roger will be looking for 'em thanks."
At 1532, the pilot of Lifeguard 2 contacted the Classic Helicopter Service communication center,
provided a position report and said that they were 15 minutes from landing at FMC. The dispatcher
on duty responded, "comm center copies all sir...I'll talk to you on the ground in fifteen minutes,
1532." This was the last recorded communication with the pilot of N407MJ.
Also at 1532, the pilot of Angel 1 contacted Guardian Air dispatch and reported that they were 10
minutes from landing at FLG. At 1544, the pilot of Angel 1 contacted Guardian Air dispatch and
stated, "control Angel 1 if you haven't figured it out we've uh landed at the...airport departed
and we're about two minutes out of the hospital." The transportation coordinator responded and
copied the transmission. This was the last recorded communication with the pilot of N407GA.
There were no recorded communications between the pilots of the two helicopters.
A review of the recorded transmissions made between both medical crews and the hospital revealed
that both of the medical crews contacted the emergency department at FMC and provided medical
reports on their respective patients. At the time Angel 1 contacted the hospital, they provided an
estimated time of arrival in 15 minutes. The Classic Helicopter Services medical crew reported an
estimated time of arrival of 18 minutes. The hospital staff that received the phone calls from both
aircraft did not provide any information about the other helicopter that was also en route to the
Flagstaff Medical Center helipad.
Several people witnessed the collision of the helicopters as they approached the hospital helipad
and reported seeing both helicopters descending into wooded terrain about 1/4 mile from the
heliport. There was a small fire noted rising from the hilly terrain, followed by a loud explosion
shortly after the collision.
A surveillance camera, mounted on a parking garage at the hospital, captured the collision on
digital video. The video depicted one helicopter approaching from north and one helicopter
approaching from the south, and shows both aircraft descending after the collision. The video was
sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders laboratory, Washington, DC, for further examination.
The accident site was located in a partially wooded, rocky mesa, approximately 1/4 mile east of the
FMC helipad at an elevation of 7,060 feet mean sea level. N407GA's main wreckage was located on
the top of the mesa in a rocky, grass terrain; and N407MJ's main wreckage was located in wooden
terrain. The main wreckages of both helicopters came to rest approximately 300 feet apart from
each other. The debris area, approximately 1/4 mile in diameter, contained fragmented sections of
main rotor blades, plexiglass, and fiberglass. N407GA was partially consumed by post-impact fire
and N407MJ did not have a post-impact fire. N407GA experienced a secondary post-impact explosion
approximately 3 minutes after the accident. Three first responders sustained minor injuries during
the explosion.
At the time of the accident, the weather was reported as partly cloudy and winds were light and variable.