Company: 2 dead in medical helicopter crash near Phoenix
Published 11:30 am Wednesday, December 16, 2015
- Kern County Sheriff Deputies speak at the command center several miles from the site of a helicopter crash Friday, Dec. 11, 2015 near McFarland, Calif. A medical helicopter carrying a patient to a hospital crashed amid heavy rain and fog in California's agricultural San Joaquin Valley, killing all four people aboard, officials said. The SkyLife air ambulance had a pilot, nurse, paramedic and a patient aboard when it went down in a remote field about halfway through its planned 50-mile trip Thursday night. (John Walker/The Fresno Bee via AP)
PHOENIX (AP) — Officials say two people are dead after a medical helicopter crashed in rugged terrain east of Phoenix.
The aircraft company said early Wednesday that a third crew member is “safe,” but did not elaborate.
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Air Methods, which owns the company operating the aircraft, says the chopper was carrying a pilot, a paramedic and a nurse; no names were released.
Company spokeswoman Christina D. Brodsly says in an email that no patients were on board.
Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor told the Arizona Republic earlier that the chopper went down under unknown circumstances in Pinal County, about 55 miles east of Phoenix. It was headed to Globe, several miles further east.
No other details of the crash were immediately available.
