Two Medical Flights Crash Within 24 Hours

For scanner hobbyist, they are know as; "Air-Ambulance", "Air-Squad", "AirMed", "Airlife", "LifeFlight", "Starflight", "MedEvac", "CareFlite" and others.

They are most often a signs that someone has suffered traumatic injuries and requires immediate transport to an area trauma center.

LACoFD's Copter 11 Air Squad

From Wikipedia: An air ambulance is an aircraft used for emergency medical assistance in situations where either a traditional ambulance cannot reach the scene easily or quickly enough, or the patient needs to be transported over a distance or terrain that makes air transportation the most practical transport.

There have been two medical transport flight crashes within 24-hours.

Medical Transort Helicopter Goes Down in OK

In the first crash, a medical helicopter on its way to pick up a patient crashed in a secluded field in central Oklahoma late Thursday, killing the pilot and a nurse and left a paramedic seriously injured. The helicopter was en route from Integris Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City to a hospital about 90 miles away in Okeene when it went down about 8 p.m. near Kingfisher, OK.

Pilot Al Harrison and nurse Ryan Duke died in the crash, according to a Friday statement by EagleMed LLC, the Wichita, Kan.-based company that operates the A-Star 350 helicopter such as the one pictured here. Michael Eccard, a paramedic and the lone survivor, was about 50 yards from the crash site and, ironically, was air-lifted to a trauma center. He is listed in serious condition. (Read full story or Watch video of crash scene)

Medical Transport Plane Goes Down in MI

In the second crash early this morning, the U.S. Coast Guard is searching searching lake Michigan right now for four people who were riding on a medical transport plane, when it went down into the water near Ludington Michigan, at about 10am central time today.

A fifth person was rescued by a "good samaritan". The one person who was rescued is suffering from mild hypothermia.

This story is still developing. Read full story and updates.

Related Links of Interest

• Wikipedia: History of Air Ambulance
• Photos: "Air Squad"

That's all for now, till next time, stay safe.

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