Mountain LifeFlight - Fatal accident

DATE		3/21/02 1340 

PROGRAM		Mountain LifeFlight

VENDOR		Pitt Hel. Inc.

ADDRESS
		PO Box 711
		Susanville, CA 96130

WEATHER		Clear. Not a factor

AIRCRAFT_TYPE	A Star 350 BA

TAIL#		N1184H

INJURIES	Gary Zahniser, FN - injured
		Chuck Jerpe, FP - injured
		Ray Watson, Pilot - fatal
		

DESCRIPTION	Upon returning from a hospital transport to Reno, 
		NV, without warning or alarms, the aircraft 
		assumed a nose down attitude prior to crashing 
		into Honey Lake in 8-10 feet of water.  The nurse 
		and paramedic were transported to a trauma center 
		with multiple injuries.  The pilot had been 
		unaccounted for until 3/22 when his body was 
		recovered from the lake at 1645. 

ADDITIONAL INFO	Mountain Lifeflight will resume fixed wing 
		transports on March 25th at 0800.  A memorial 
		service for Ray Watson will be held Thursday, 
		March 28, 2002 at 1300.  Location of the service 
		is the Mountain Lifeflight hangar, Susanville 
		Municipal Airport.  Please contact Monique Hubanks 
		at 530-257-0249 if your agency will be arriving 
		via aircraft. 

SOURCE		Monica Hubanks

VIA		Roseanne Krantz, CONCERN

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The CONCERN network shares verified information to alert medical
transport programs when an accident / incident has occurred.
Please share the above information with your program staff. If
you have further questions, please contact the CONCERN Coordinator,
Roseann Krantz @ 1-800-75-SHOCK or rjkrantz@aol.com.