Airbus EC135 P2 crash near Avalon, California, United States

A REACH Air Medical Services Eurocopter EC135 P2 departed Pebbly Beach helipad near Avalon on Catalina Island on September 30 and crashed into the ocean, killing three of five occupants including the pilot, a flight nurse, and a patient. Approximately one minute earlier, a separate Mercy Air helicopter operated by Air Methods had contacted the water after departing the same helipad under conditions of limited visibility over calm water on a moonless night using night-vision goggles.