Three dead in medical helicopter crash in Oklahoma

Three crew members died in a medical helicopter crash in Oklahoma on Saturday after transporting a patient, according to the company that operates the service.

The company, Air Evac Lifeteam, said further social media that the crew members lost contact with the company's control center around 11:23 p.m. local time while returning to their base in Weatherford, Oklahoma, about 70 miles west of Oklahoma City.

The company said the crew members were en route to Weatherford after transporting a patient in Oklahoma City. The Federal Aviation Administration said the helicopter, a Bell B06, crashed around midnight, but where exactly was not immediately clear.

Air Evac Lifeteam said it would not publicly identify the crew members at this time and that it would turn the investigation over to the National Transportation Safety Board.

An NTSB investigator was expected to be at the crash site Sunday to begin documenting and examining the plane, officials said.

The investigation will examine all air traffic control communications recordings, radar data, weather reports, witness statements and a 72-hour background check of the pilot to determine if there were any issues that could have affected the pilot's ability to safely conduct the flight. including other information.

“It is important to note that NTSB does not determine cause in the initial part of the investigation process,” the agency said in a statement. “This is considered the fact-gathering phase of the investigation.”

Air Evac Lifeteam operates more than 150 helicopter air ambulance bases in 18 states, according to its website. The crew consists of a pilot, a flight nurse and a flight paramedic.

About 90 percent of patient transports come from a rural area, as defined by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the company said.