What happened
On October 6, 2025, at approximately 19:05 Pacific daylight time, an Airbus Helicopters EC-130 T2, registration N414RX, was involved in an accident in Sacramento, California. The aircraft was operating as a Part 135 air medical flight, departing from the UC Davis Medical Center Tower II Heliport (3CLO) with a planned destination of Mc Clellan Airfield (MCC).
Shortly after takeoff, the flight paramedic reported that the power failed, forcing the helicopter into an autorotation toward U.S. Route 50. A mayday call was issued on the company radio frequency. ADS-B data indicated the total flight duration was approximately 26 seconds, with the aircraft reaching a maximum altitude of about 500 feet mean sea level before entering a descent for the final 11 seconds of the flight.
The helicopter came to rest on its left side in the eastbound lanes of U.S. Route 50, roughly 1,600 feet north of the departure helipad. During the impact, a main rotor blade left a ground impression on the highway's residential-side fence, and a section of the outer main rotor blade became embedded in the roof of a detached garage at a nearby residence.
The accident resulted in 1 fatality and 2 serious injuries. The flight nurse passed away four days after the event, while the pilot and flight paramedic sustained serious injuries.