OWEN COUNTY, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – Recovery efforts are set to begin for the remnants of a medical helicopter that crashed this past Monday in Owen County. The tragic accident claimed the lives of pilot Gale Alleman, paramedic James Welsh, and flight nurse Bethany Aicken, all of whom were en route to pick up a patient when their Air-Evac…
OWEN COUNTY, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – Recovery efforts are set to begin for the remnants of a medical helicopter that crashed this past Monday in Owen County.
The tragic accident claimed the lives of pilot Gale Alleman, paramedic James Welsh, and flight nurse Bethany Aicken, all of whom were en route to pick up a patient when their Air-Evac Lifeteam helicopter collided with a guy-wire supporting a tower near Highway 22 East in Owenton.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed in a preliminary report that the helicopter was maneuvering over a landing area when it crashed and burst into flames. Brian Raymer, a Senior Air Safety Investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), described the incident, stating, “Pieces were seen to separate from the helicopter and the helicopter descended basically, the body, the fuselage, the helicopter fell basically vertically from that point.”
Officials anticipate that the investigation by the NTSB could extend over a year before a comprehensive report is released.