3 killed when a medical helicopter headed to pick up a patient crashes in Kentucky

OWENTON, Ky. (AP) — Three crew members were killed when a medical helicopter heading to pick up a patient hit a wire and crashed in Kentucky, authorities said.

The crash was reported Monday evening in Owenton near state Highway 22, Kentucky State Police said in a news release. Troopers determined that an Air Evac Lifeteam flight crashed, killing the three personnel aboard. They were identified by police as Gale Alleman, Bethany Aicken and James Welsh.

The Grant County-based crew was en route to pick up a patient when the crash happened, Air Evac Lifeteam said in a statement posted on social media.

A preliminary report from the Federal Aviation Administration posted online said the helicopter hit a guy wire near the ground, crashed and caught fire.

Police are conducting the death investigation and the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the helicopter crash, police said. An NTSB investigator was expected to arrive on scene Tuesday afternoon, the agency said in a statement. AEL said it would work closely with the FAA and NTSB during the investigation.

“This was a terribly tragic accident, and our deepest sympathies go out to the employees’ families and friends,” AEL said.