The pilot and two medical crewmembers departed on an air ambulance flight in night instrument meteorological conditions to pick up a patient. After departure, the local air traffic controller observed the airplanes primary radar target with an incorrect transponder code in a right turn and climbing through 4,400 ft mean sea level (msl), which was 800 ft above ground level (agl). The controller instructed the pilot to reset the transponder to the correct code, and the airplane leveled off between 4,400 ft and 4,600 ft msl for about 30 seconds. The controller then confirmed that the airplane was being tracked on radar with the correct transponder code; the airplane resumed its climb at a rate of about 6,000 ft per minute (fpm) to 6,000 ft msl. The pilot changed frequencies as instructed, then contacted departure control and reported "with you at 6,000 [ ft msl]" and the departure controller radar-identified the airplane. About 1 minute later, the departure controller advised the pilot that he was no longer receiving the airplane s transponder; the pilot did not respond, and there were no further recorded transmissions from the pilot. Radar data showed the airplane descending rapidly at a rate that reached 17,000 fpm. Surveillance video from a nearby truck stop recorded lights from the airplane descending at an angle of about 45° followed by an explosion.
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机译：飞行员和两名医务人员在夜间仪器气象条件下乘坐空中救护机飞行，接了一名病人。起飞后，当地空中交通管制员在右转弯观察到飞机主要雷达目标，其应答器代码不正确，并爬升了4,400英尺的平均海平面（msl），该高度比地面（agl）高800英尺。控制器指示飞行员将应答器重置为正确的代码，飞机在4,400 ft至4,600 ft msl之间调平约30秒。然后，管制员确认正在使用正确的应答器代码在飞机上跟踪飞机；飞机以大约每分钟6,000英尺（fpm）的速度恢复到6,000英尺MSL的爬升速度。飞行员按照指示更改了频率，然后联系离场控制并报告“在6,000 [ft msl]下与您取得联系”，并且离场控制器通过雷达识别了飞机。大约1分钟后，出发管制员告知飞行员他不再收到飞机的应答器；飞行员没有回应，也没有来自飞行员的进一步录音。雷达数据显示飞机以17,000 fpm的速度迅速下降。来自附近卡车停靠站的监视视频记录了飞机发出的光线以大约45°的角度下降并发生爆炸。
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