Incident Overview
An air ambulance (EMS) helicopter was dispatched to evacuate an injured hiker from a mountain with an elevation of approximately 14,000 feet. The intended pickup point was situated at an elevation of about 12,200 feet on a slope angled at roughly 35 degrees.
Rescue Attempt
Ground rescue personnel reported that the pilot informed them he would place the helicopter's right skid on the mountain slope. This maneuver was intended to allow the rescuers to load the patient on the downhill side of the aircraft. As the helicopter hovered above the rescue team, the main rotor blades struck rocks.
Accident Sequence
Following the rotor strike, the helicopter passed over the heads of the ground personnel, crashed, and subsequently tumbled approximately 800 feet down the mountain.