Medical helicopter crashes near Chicago, Illinois killing four
Thursday, October 16, 2008
- 12 February 2012: Amartya Sen among the scholars for US National Humanities Medal
- 12 February 2012: American pop star Whitney Houston dies at 48
- 11 February 2012: US regulators approve new nuclear reactors for first time in 34 years
- 10 February 2012: German judge orders life sentence for nation's 'first Islamic-motivated terror attack'
- 10 February 2012: Egypt struggles to recover tourism; investment
A medical helicopter has crashed near Chicago, Illinois killing three crew members and the patient, a thirteen-month-old baby girl. The crew aboard the helicopter included the pilot, a nurse and a paramedic.
The helicopter, operated by Air Angels Inc., was transporting the baby to Children's Memorial Hospital from Valley West Hospital, when it hit a wire connected to a 734-foot (224-meter) radio tower in Aurora and burst into flames around 12:00 a.m. (EDT). The baby was suffering from epileptic seizures.
The cause of the crash is not known, and there were no reported problems with the helicopter before it took off. An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is ongoing.
This is the third crash which involved an Air Angels helicopter. In 2003, a pilot was killed when his chopper crashed. An investigation concluded that the cause was pilot error, and bad weather. Another chopper crashed in 2007, but there were no injuries.
[edit] Sources
- Deanna Bellandi. "Investigation turns to tower in Ill. copter crash" — The Washington Post, October 17, 2008
- "4 killed in helicopter crash in Chicago suburb" — Associated Press, October 16, 2008
- "4 killed as medical helicopter hits radio tower" — MSNBC, October 16, 2008
- Staff. "NTSB investigating cause of helicopter crash" — The Beacon News, October 16, 2008
