NTSB report: Medical helicopter fell 600 feet in 8 seconds before Arizona crash that killed 3

TUCSON, Ariz. – A medical helicopter that crashed last week in Tucson, Ariz., killing all three on board, fell 600 feet in eight seconds before it hit the ground.

That's according to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board obtained Wednesday by the Arizona Daily Star.

The report says the LifeNet helicopter lost radar contact about 140 feet above ground and a quarter-mile before it crashed last Wednesday — killing the pilot, paramedic and flight nurse.

The AS350 B3 Eurocopter had undergone routine maintenance in Marana and was en route to its home base in Douglas when it crashed into a fence near a house and burst into flames. Witnesses told investigators the helicopter made some unusual sounds, including rapid intermittent popping noises.

The NTSB is still investigating.

LifeNet Arizona's parent company is Colorado-based Air Methods.

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Information from: Arizona Daily Star, http://www.azstarnet.com