Medical Evacuation Flight Crashes in Somerville
A Hospital Wing Memphis Eurocopter AS 350B3 Astar en route from Memphis to Bolivar Tn crashed into a wooded area while en route to pick up a little girl at around 6:20 a.m.. No one aboard survived. The chopper went down near Fayette Academy just outside Somerville.
Pilot Charles Smith, pediatric flight nurse Carrie Barlow and pediatric flight respiratory therapist Denise Adams died in the crash. The nurse and therapist worked with Le Bonheur.
An NTSB investigator has been mobilized and is headed to the crash scene. The investigator will review the crash site, interview witnesses, review facts, atc and radar data, collect all information, and hold a news briefing this evening. The final report will take as much as 18 months.
The staff of Le Bonheur is mourning the loss of their pedi flight team.