Helicopter crash under investigation
The cause of the medical helicopter crash that killed the crew of three onboard Monday near the Natchez Trace remains under investigation as the National Transportation Safety Board has begun its investigation.
According to Todd Inman, an NTSB spokesman, the investigation hopes to issue a preliminary report within 30 days and a final report within the next 12 to 24 months. However, Inman said, the investigation will ensure it is thorough and complete.
“We will take as long as it takes,” Inman said.
The NTSB is investigating the flight in conjunction with the Federal Aviation Administration.
The University of Mississippi Medical Center has identified the three victims as Dustin Pope, 35, of Philadelphia; Jakob Kindt, 37, of Tupelo; and Cal Wesolowski, 62, of Starkville.
Pope was the base supervisor for AirCare in Columbus and a flight nurse and Kindt was a critical care paramedic from. The UMMC release says they both started working for UMMC on Aug. 14, 2017. The Med-Trans pilot was Wesolowski.
“Their families have been notified, and we want to express our deepest condolences,” Dr. LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor for health affairs at UMMC, said. “The entire Medical Center family is heartbroken over this. We also want to express our concern and sadness and support for the AirCare team.”
There has been an outpouring of support for the families of those on board.
Gov. Tate Reeves said he and his wife are praying for those affected.
“Please keep the victims’ families and coworkers in your prayers,” Reeves said in a social media post. “It’s a tragic reminder of the risks Mississippi’s first responders take every day to keep us safe. Our state will never forget the sacrifice of these heroes.”
Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann echoed that sentiment.
“Please join Lynn and me in praying for the families of the dedicated individuals who lost their lives in the tragic helicopter crash in Madison County this afternoon,” Hosemann said. “Words cannot express the weight of this loss or the profound gratitude we have for their service in caring for Mississippi’s patients.”
The Gluckstadt Fire Department, who canceled training exercises initially scheduled for this week involving an AirCare unit following the crash, also offered a statement in the AirCare crew’s honor.
“Our hearts are heavy today as we extend our deepest condolences to our EMS brothers and sisters affected by this tragic loss. Please keep AirCare and all affected by this tragedy in your thoughts and prayers,” Their statement reads.
AirCare, a helicopter emergency medical service, responds to emergencies around the state. AirCare is a hybrid relationship between UMMC and Med-Trans Corporation, with UMMC providing the clinical teams and Med-Trans providing the pilots and aircraft operations. This was the first crash in the 29-year history of the AirCare service at UMMC.
Woodward said the helicopter, known as AirCare3, had just dropped off a patient at UMMC, had refueled, and was headed back to Columbus, where it is based. Woodward said the pilot and two UMMC care team members were on board at the time of the crash.
“You never know what a day is going to bring, but today brought a terrible tragedy and loss to the Medical Center family,” Woodward said.
According to Inman, the helicopter left UMMC at 12:28 p.m. on Monday, March 10, reaching an altitude of 2,500 feet. Shortly after departure the helicopter ceased communication with air traffic control and was communicating with their dispatch officials. Inman said this is not unusual if a craft is experiencing issues.
Inman said they reported they were having “some type of systems issues” and said they would attempt to land in a nearby field.
At 12:40 p.m., Inman said they received a report that someone in the area saw a helicopter crash and saw a fire plume and heard an initial explosion.
Due to the difficulty of the terrain, it took first responders between 15 and 20 minutes to reach the crash.
The scene of the crash is reported to be “a heavily wooded area south of the Natchez Trace and North of Pipeline Road,” Madison County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Heath Hall said. He said the SO was called to the scene around 1:15 p.m.
Inman said the crash sight is very muddy and is in some places in between six and eight inches of standing water. He said it took between two and three hours to extinguish the fire that resulted from the crash.
Based on an initial review of the scene, Inman said there are signs of scratch marks consistent with rotor strikes in some of the trees in the area and said there are signs of “extensive thermal damage” to the craft and the area likely due to the explosion and fire.
Inman said anyone with information regarding the crash, specifically if they had video of the crash is encouraged to reach out to the investigation by sending an email to witness@ntsb.gov.