1 crew member killed, 2 critically injured in medical helicopter crash near Nashville
LEBANON, Tenn. (AP) — A medical helicopter crashed east of Nashville, Tennessee, on Saturday, killing one crew member and seriously injuring two other crew members, authorities said. There were no patients on board.
The Wilson County Sheriff’s Office said the Vanderbilt LifeFlight helicopter crashed in a field about 22 miles (35 kilometers) east of Nashville, between Lebanon and Gallatin, around 1:45 p.m.
The helicopter crashed about 12 miles (19 kilometers) south of Music City Executive Airport and its base at the Sumner County Emergency Operations Center.
The National Transportation Safety Board said the investigation is ongoing.
Vanderbilt LifeFlight said in a statement that the two injured crew members were treated at Vanderbilt University Hospital in Nashville. Such flights usually include a pilot, a paramedic and a nurse.
“Our hearts and deepest condolences go out to our Vanderbilt LifeFlight colleagues, their families and loved ones during this difficult time,” the statement said.
The Airbus EC130T2 helicopter was produced in 2015, according to Federal Aviation Administration records.
The helicopter took off from the emergency operations center at 1.33pm and flew for eight minutes before crashing, according to aviation tracking sites FlightAware and Flightradar24.
