Sun, Sep 28, 2008
Helo Diverted For Bad Weather Before Crash
ANN REALTIME REPORTING 09.28.08 1000 EDT: A
Maryland State Police medevac helicopter -- type unreported, but
believed to be a Eurocopter Dauphin -- crashed outside Washington,
DC early Sunday, claiming the lives of four people onboard... but a
fifth passenger reportedly survived.
CNN reports the helicopter was en route to Prince George's
Hospital with two patients critically injured in an automobile
accident, when the helicopter's pilot notified dispatch he planned
to return to Andrews Air Force Base to avoid inclement weather,
instead of continuing onto the hospital.
The helicopter crashed in Ritchie, MD, east of DC proper, at
approximately 0115 EDT Sunday morning. The accident site is roughly
three miles north of Andrews.
WRC-4 in Maryland reports the victims have been identified as
pilot Stephen H. Bunker; co-pilot Micky Lippy, who was also a
flight paramedic; emergency responder Tonya Mallard; and Ashley
Youngler, one of the traffic accident victims. The second auto
accident victim, 18-year-old Jordon Wells, was rushed to the
hospital by ambulance in critical condition.
Crews began searching for the helicopter when radio contact was
lost. The wreckage was located on a park trail about two hours
later.
The National Transportation Safety Board has dispatched a Go
team to investigate the accident.
The Maryland State Police Aviation Command flies 12 Eurocopter
AS365 Dauphin II helicopters, in addition to Cessna and Beech King
Air fixed-wing aircraft. According to the department Web site, each
Dauphin is fully IFR-equipped, including GPS and FLIR systems.
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