APNewsBreak: Sanctions sought in AZ chopper crash
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The Federal Aviation Administration is seeking sanctions against a Colorado company stemming from a 2010 medical-helicopter crash in Arizona that killed the aircraft's three-member crew.
FAA spokesman Ian Gregor tells The Associated Press that the agency wants to lodge a $50,625 fine against Colorado-based Air Methods, the parent company of LifeNet Arizona and the helicopter's operator.
The development comes on the heels of a report by the National Transportation Safety Board that says the July 28, 2010, crash likely was caused by a contract mechanic's mistake and a lack of proper inspection and testing of his work.
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The helicopter left Marana, Ariz., and was en route to its home base in Douglas when it fell 600 feet in eight seconds, crashed into a backyard fence in Tucson and burst into flames about six minutes after leaving the ground.