Four Hurt When Okla. Medevac Chopper Makes Emergency Landing
Jan. 03--SEMINOLE -- Four people -- a pilot, two nurses and a paramedic -- were injured Wednesday when a Mediflight helicopter made a hard emergency landing in a field shortly after takeoff, officials reported.
The pilot told authorities he thinks the helicopter suffered from engine failure, Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper Betsy Randolph said.
The helicopter's landing gear and the rear rotor were damaged in the landing, Randolph said.
The pilot may have suffered a broken leg, she said. All four people on board were taken to Oklahoma City-area hospitals.
The helicopter was stationed at the Seminole Municipal Airport and came down northeast of the airport.
The crew was en route to pick up a patient, so no patient was on board, Air Methods spokesman Craig Yale said. Air Methods is the company that operates Mediflight.
The pilot had been with Air Methods for more than 10 years and has more than 10,000 helicopter flight hours, Yale said.
The helicopter was an EC130 and was about three years old, he said.
Air Methods will not release the names of the four employees on board. They are all in the hospital recovering from their injuries, he said.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have been notified and will investigate the emergency landing, the patrol reported.
Contributing: The Associated Press
Copyright 2013 - The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City
