Sixteen people died last week in four GA accidents in the West. Tuesday evening, a medical helicopter from Santa Rosa, Calif., hit a mountain in bad weather, killing the pilot and two nurses on board. Also on Tuesday, a Lear 24B bizjet flying from California to Idaho crashed in the Mojave Desert, killing both pilots. On Wednesday, a Piper Seneca hit a mountain while trying to land near Avalon, on California’s Santa Catalina Island. All three adults and two children on board died. On Thursday afternoon, a Beechcraft Bonanza crashed shortly after takeoff from a North Las Vegas airport, killing all those on board, four adults and two children. The pilot had declared an emergency and said he would try to return to the airport, according to news reports.
…As Accidents Claim Lives
Key Takeaways:
- Sixteen people died in four separate general aviation (GA) accidents across the Western U.S. last week.
- The fatal incidents involved a medical helicopter, a Learjet 24B bizjet, a Piper Seneca, and a Beechcraft Bonanza.
- Accidents included crashes due to bad weather, striking a mountain during landing, and shortly after takeoff, resulting in multiple fatalities including children.
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