Representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration, National Transportation Safety Board and Air Methods Corp., based in Englewood, Colo., were investigating the fatal July 28 crash in mid-town Tucson of one of its medical helicopters.

Killed in the afternoon crash were Alexander B. Kelley, 61, the pilot; Parker W. Summons, 41, a flight nurse; and Brenda E. French, 28, a paramedic. All were based at Southeast Arizona Medical Center in Douglas. There were no patients on board at the time of the crash.

The helicopter, a single-engine Eurocopter AS350, was part of the LifeNet Arizona system that had just been put in service last year. It had 350 hours of use. The crew, which had just picked up the helicopter in Marana as part of a routine maintenance switch, was headed back to Douglas at the time of the crash.    

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The helicopter crashed outside the yard of a home at North Park Avenue, south of Glenn Street. Nobody on the ground was hurt. According to witnesses, the pilot appeared to have tried to steer away from the house. It burst into flames when it hit the ground.

Air Methods has been in operation for 29 years and says it transports more than 98,000 patients annually who require intensive medical care. It operates 300 helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft at 249 bases in 42 states.