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See the original image at necn.com —

Investigation into deadly Arizona helicopter crash

necn.com — Six people were killed and another was critically injured when two choppers collided near Flagstaff Medical Center.

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  • Crackerpat, on 06/30/2008, -1/+19Sad things like this happens to innocent people.
  • AmyVernon, on 06/30/2008, -0/+16i hope everyone's OK. it's really sad that these were helicopters potentially taking someone to the hospital (has that been updated yet?) or coming to transfer someone to another hospital and this happened.
    • Rustiga, on 06/30/2008, -1/+4Who do you mean "everyone?" 6 people lost their lives..
    • DeskFlyer, on 06/30/2008, -0/+26 out of the 7 people aboard both aircraft died.
    • duster805, on 06/30/2008, -0/+3Did you get the memo?
    • cathpah, on 06/30/2008, -0/+3I can't even say RTFA.....how bout RTFS (read the ***** sub-title)
  • BCCStu, on 06/30/2008, -0/+14Wow, don't see a collision very often. Quite sad.
  • JerichoSam, on 06/30/2008, -0/+16No air traffic control, so pilots have to communicate with each other. I guess that usually works, but it's unfortunate that this crash took six lives and left one additional person in critical condition.
  • Mswldflwr, on 06/30/2008, -0/+13I just hope they find a better way of doing things there. Such a tragedy.
  • rocr69, on 06/30/2008, -1/+5I hope it doesn't lead to more mind-numbing rules and procedure that quietly kills.
  • nahsrocketeer75, on 06/30/2008, -0/+2I've read stories in the past that have asked whether these hospital helicopter crashes happen often enough to throw into question whether so-called "life flight" evacuations result in a net saving of lives. Don't recall if any study was claiming they're not worth the risk ... but the risk certainly does seem non-trivial.
  • P8triot1, on 06/30/2008, -6/+1I can't help but wonder if the Bush /Republican mindset that we need no oversight and no regulations may be part of why this (and six other helicopter crashes just this year) have happened. They constantly cut down on the budgets of the agencies overseeing this situation.
    • frequentFlyer, on 06/30/2008, -0/+2That's kind of a far stretch bringing the current administration into this, don't you think? This airport has been this way for many years - it has nothing to do with Bush/Cheney(blahblahblah). Helicopters fly under different FARs than fixed wing.
  • erad222, on 06/30/2008, -0/+1Damn, what are the odds?
  • scottkrotdotcom, on 06/30/2008, -1/+7"Damn, what are the odds?"


    more likely than you think 4 months ago 2 other helicopters crashed in phx arizona during a police chase.
    • Hindu_Wardrobe, on 06/30/2008, -0/+6I guess us Arizonans just can't fly a ***** helicopter.
    • kevinkitching, on 06/30/2008, -1/+14 months? I don't recall exactly when, but I'm pretty sure it was last fall.
    • TSCFFlightNurse, on 07/06/2008, -1/+0I'm not sure who you fly with..........but I fly with some of the very best pilots in Arizona for a company that has Safety in the front of all other considerations! And this Arizonian is PROUD to fly with TSCF Arizona pilots!
  • the2989, on 06/30/2008, -11/+1Why should I care about the deaths of some random people I've never heard of nor been influenced by? Seems like a waste of my time.
    • djqxero, on 06/30/2008, -0/+3You are a terrible person. Do you have no compassion for human life?
      • swizzcheez, on 06/30/2008, -0/+3Perhaps, but at least to you he/she is a reasonably good troll.

        OTOH, I totally buried the scumbag too... >:(

    • frequentFlyer, on 06/30/2008, -0/+0And your funeral (that you arranged) will be on a cold winter day with no attendees.
    • TSCFFlightNurse, on 07/01/2008, -0/+0Then why WASTE your time commenting on it?!?! (said sarcastically)
  • Hindu_Wardrobe, on 06/30/2008, -0/+2My friend who lives in Flagstaff heard this happen. Very freaky. My heart goes out to the families, what a terrible way to die.
    • DuffyDirect, on 06/30/2008, -0/+1keep your heart, send money.
    • Calibur, on 06/30/2008, -0/+1well... I lived in Flag for 6 years... this is nothing new, they have crazy weather conditions up there. we used to say "If you dont like the weather in flag... wait 5 minutes". Seriously though.. its sad and shouldnt have happened.
  • DarkReign16, on 06/30/2008, -0/+1I lived in Arizona when this happened, I was probably only ten minutes away form the crash site. The news said that it was an issue of the two choppers not communicating with each other, it was just a human mistake (at least that's what preliminary speculation was).
    • davemerican, on 06/30/2008, -0/+1You lived in Flagstaff yesterday?
      • DarkReign16, on 06/30/2008, -0/+1Holy ***** this happened again, lmao?

        I'm referring to an incident that happened late last year, where two news choppers collided in mid air (while broadcasting live, no less)
  • DeskFlyer, on 06/30/2008, -1/+2This is why situational awareness is so very important when flying, especially in uncontrolled airspace, although I highly doubt the two pilots were somehow completely unaware of each other. Many midairs occur when someone just doesn't see the other guy in the sky when they need to most, even if they know they are there. Read up on the PSA 182 accident for a prime example, and both those aircraft were even in contact with ATC at the time.

    RIP to those who lost their lives.
  • Dustin00, on 06/30/2008, -1/+4My guess: 2 objects attempted to occupy the same space at the same time.

    But I'm not a physics major.
  • beesaretasty, on 06/30/2008, -0/+0The second helicopter crash in just a couple of days in the area.

    http://www.azfamily.com/news/local/stories/ash-for ...
  • easthollow, on 06/30/2008, -0/+0Why does the investigation take 12-18 months, as the news is reporting? Is it bureaucracy, or something else?
  • DuffyDirect, on 06/30/2008, -3/+1In Arizona, eh? On Digg that must mean this was John McCain's fault!!!
  • sonofashoe, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1I must've missed something. I saw a commercial for a SUV and then an interview with a fireman stating that other fireman were injured. I'll take your word that this is an interesting story.
  • dtele, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1Duped again: http://digg.com/world_news/7_dead_in_US_midair_cho ...
  • Phisolo, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1I used to own a house 3 blocks from FMC. scary.
  • TSCFFlightNurse, on 07/01/2008, -0/+0I am a Flight Nurse for an Arizona company. It is tragic to hear that the medical crew and pilots died............they were doing what they loved! I know........my heart and prayers goes to those, their families and friends. They know that we do what we do because we love to help people and we love flying. Though this is a very tragic heart breaking event. I know that the crews would want us to continue flying.....I know I would want them to. I will continue to fly and care for people with God by my side as long as God wants me to. My family and friends understand why I do this job. And if I die doing this, I die doing what I love!
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