Raevengeance
07-13-04, 05:01 PM
Four Killed in S.C. Medical Copter Crash
By JEFFREY COLLINS, AP
JALAPA, S.C. (July 13) - A medical helicopter that had just picked up a woman injured in a minor hit and run accident crashed Tuesday, killing her and the three others aboard.
Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System's helicopter crashed about 5:55 a.m. in a heavily wooded area just off Interstate 26, hospital spokeswoman Betsy McMillan said.
Also killed were the pilot, a flight nurse and paramedic.
Newberry County Emergency Medical Services had requested the helicopter for a pedestrian who reported being injured in a minor hit and run accident at a highway rest stop, Highway Patrol Cpl. Steve Sluder said.
A state trooper and a truck driver watched the helicopter take off.
"When it got above the trees, we heard a boom and we didn't see it again," said trucker Johnny Williamson, who had stopped at the rest area to take a nap.
Williamson said he found the helicopter at least a mile from the road in a heavily wooded area.
"There was a little bit of fire. The chopper was totally destroyed," he said. "I've seen a lot of wrecks on the interstate and stuff like that, but I've never seen anything like this."
The helicopter came down on U.S. Forest Service land, Sheriff Lee Foster said. Government bulldozers were used to clear a path to the wreckage.
There was no word on what caused the crash, McMillan said. Weather conditions were fair in the area.
Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration were en route to investigate, Chief Deputy Sheriff Jerry Wright said.
Jalapa is 50 miles northwest of Columbia.
07/13/04 10:20 EDT
By JEFFREY COLLINS, AP
JALAPA, S.C. (July 13) - A medical helicopter that had just picked up a woman injured in a minor hit and run accident crashed Tuesday, killing her and the three others aboard.
Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System's helicopter crashed about 5:55 a.m. in a heavily wooded area just off Interstate 26, hospital spokeswoman Betsy McMillan said.
Also killed were the pilot, a flight nurse and paramedic.
Newberry County Emergency Medical Services had requested the helicopter for a pedestrian who reported being injured in a minor hit and run accident at a highway rest stop, Highway Patrol Cpl. Steve Sluder said.
A state trooper and a truck driver watched the helicopter take off.
"When it got above the trees, we heard a boom and we didn't see it again," said trucker Johnny Williamson, who had stopped at the rest area to take a nap.
Williamson said he found the helicopter at least a mile from the road in a heavily wooded area.
"There was a little bit of fire. The chopper was totally destroyed," he said. "I've seen a lot of wrecks on the interstate and stuff like that, but I've never seen anything like this."
The helicopter came down on U.S. Forest Service land, Sheriff Lee Foster said. Government bulldozers were used to clear a path to the wreckage.
There was no word on what caused the crash, McMillan said. Weather conditions were fair in the area.
Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration were en route to investigate, Chief Deputy Sheriff Jerry Wright said.
Jalapa is 50 miles northwest of Columbia.
07/13/04 10:20 EDT