The National Transportation Safety Board issued a preliminary report on the helicopter crash that killed three Colusa County residents on Aug. 1.
The NTSB stated in its report that a witness, who was driving south on Highway 45 near Reservation Rd., approximately a half mile east of the accident site, reported that he noticed a helicopter flying on an easterly heading about 50 to 100 ft above ground level, straight and level, and initially thought it may have been a crop duster. However, suddenly, the aircraft made a sharp left turn. The witness then briefly lost sight of the helicopter due to trees and when he reestablished visual contact, he observed the helicopter descend into the ground.
The helicopter was identified in the aircraft as a Robinson R66 helicopter, and was substantially damaged in the collision, killing the pilot and its three passengers. Occupants of the aircraft were identified as William ” Bill” Bernard Vann, 67, and his wife Suzanne ” Susie” Marie Vann, 60, of Williams; Bobbie Lee Keaton, 62, also of Williams; and Charles ” Chuck” Thomas Wilson, 71, of Rocklin.
The NTSB said that the helicopter impacted a tomato field, with wreckage debris scattered within a 360 foot long and 392 foot wide area.
As reported by the NTSB, the Recorded Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) showed that at 12:07 PM, on Aug. 1, the helicopter departed Willows, and flew toward the foothills which bordered the western edge of the valley. The helicopter turned south while over Elk Creek, and overflew Lodoga, and Stonyford, before a turn to the east towards Colusa. The helicopter then took a southeasterly direction for about two minutes, and then initiated a left turn in an eastern direction for about three quarters of a mile west of the accident.
The ADS-B data contained no altitude data for the entire flight, the NTSB said.–