NTSB Releases Preliminary Report on California Helicopter Crash

Agency says uncommanded loss of power was reported just before the accident that fatally injured a flight nurse.

Meg Godlewski

Thursday, November 06, 2025 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

An ambulance helicopter crashed on October 6 near Sacramento, California, after losing power for an unknown reason, according to the NTSB’s preliminary report. [Credit: California Department of Transportation District 8]

Key Takeaways:

A preliminary NTSB report details an Airbus medical helicopter crash near Sacramento in October, where an uncommanded loss of power was reported shortly after takeoff.
The helicopter, operated by Reach Air Medical Services, reached an altitude of 500 feet before an 11-second descent, landing hard on U.S. Route 50.
The flight nurse onboard sustained critical injuries and died four days later, though no motorists were injured in the incident.
Investigators found substantial damage to the aircraft and have retained the wreckage for further examination, with the final NTSB report expected in 18 to 24 months.

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An uncommanded loss of power was reported just before an Airbus medical helicopter crashed near Sacramento, California, in October.

According to the preliminary report released this week by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), at approximately 7:09 p.m. PT on October 6, the ambulance helicopter lifted off from UC Davis Medical Center Tower II Heliport (3CLO), heading to Sacramento McClellan Airport (KMCC), approximately 25 miles away. The weather was VFR at the time.