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Medical helicopter crashes on California highway, critically injuring 3
Lindsay Weber
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Three crew members were critically injured when a
medical helicopter crashed onto a California highway Monday night.
California Highway Patrol traffic logs indicate the crash was reported just after 7 p.m. on the eastbound Highway 50 in the capital city of Sacramento.
The Sacramento Fire Department said three people were in critical condition following the crash. There was no patient on board, the fire department said, but there was a pilot, nurse and paramedic.
Sacramento Fire said one person was trapped under the helicopter after the crash. A group of around 15 bystanders rushed in to help first responders lift the helicopter off the trapped person, officials said. Hear from a civilian who jumped in to help here
No other vehicles were hit by the helicopter or involved in the crash, officials said. Read more about the helicopter involved in the crash here.
Traffic cameras show a large amount of backups on Highway 50 due to the crash. The eastbound side of the highway is expected to be shut down for some time, and some lanes of westbound Highway 50 could be affected.
California's Department of Transportation (Caltrans) said the ramp from northbound Highway 99 to eastbound Highway 50 and the ramp from southbound Highway 51 to eastbound Highway 50 would also be shut down as the crash is cleared.
Other photos from drivers showed a small plume of smoke rising from the area where the crash occurred, but Sacramento Fire said no fire sparked from the crash.
Sacramento Councilmember Lisa Kaplan shared a photo of the crash, showing long traffic backups in the area.
Reach Air Medical Services shared a statement on its social media following the crash:
"We are aware of an accident involving a REACH Air Medical helicopter on Highway 50 in Sacramento this evening and are keeping all those impacted in our thoughts and prayers.
We are in the process of determining the details of this situation, as well as the condition of the REACH crew involved, who were all taken to area hospitals. We will continue to provide information as it becomes available.
There was no patient on board.
We appreciate the concern and support from our community and will share updates when appropriate."
https://www.gulfcoastnewsnow.com/article/helicopter-crash-highway-50/68863482
Biplane crashes in Mt. Washington due to ‘incident’ after leaving Bowman Field, officials say
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - A small plane has gone
down in Bullitt County, Kentucky, according to officials.
Louisville Regional Airport Authority spokesperson Natalie Chaudoin said a biplane departed Bowman Field at 2:04 p.m. on Oct. 6 with only the pilot on board.
Chaudoin said the plane was involved in an incident about 10 miles southeast of the airport, where it landed in Mt. Washington at 2:15 p.m. The pilot was reportedly alert and talking with first responders at the scene.
The biplane is not based at Bowman Field, Chaudoin said. It arrived at the airport last night.
The Louisville Regional Airport Authority, which owns and operates Bowman Field, is offering support to local and federal agencies since it was the originating airport, according to Chaudoin.
WAVE crews found the plane crashed off Erin Circle.
Bullitt County Sheriff Walt Sholar said the incident happened in the city limits of Mt. Washington. There was a single person on board, the pilot, and he was reportedly up walking and complaining of head pain.
WAVE News obtained audio from the Louisville Approach Control from when the plane was about to go down. The audio picks up in part this Mayday call: “Mayday, mayday, charlie foxtrot zulu, it’s charlie foxtroz. The pick is having a fuel problem. I can’t find him in the air at all. I don’t know where he went. He has a transponder code, so can you find him? I see smoke in the trees, so I’m going to see if that’s him.”
NTSB is expected to be on scene within a few hours.
Homemade airplane crash lands in Kitsap County driveway, FAA to investigate
by KOMO News Staff
KITSAP COUNTY, Wash. — A small home-built
airplane made an emergency landing in a driveway on the 10100 block of Olalla Valley Rd. SE Monday afternoon, the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office said.
The pilot emerged unscathed, and no injuries were reported on the ground. The homemade plane was damaged during the crash.
The KCSO says the Federal Aviation Administration will conduct an investigation into the incident.
https://komonews.com/news/local/homemade-airplane-crash-lands-in-kitsap-county-driveway
No injuries reported in small plane crash in West Milford
Manahil Ahmad
A small plane crashed on Oct. 6 at Greenwood
Lake Airport in West Milford, prompting a response from local emergency crews, officials said.
Authorities said the West Milford Fire Department, Police Department, First Aid Squad and Office of Emergency Management were dispatched around 10:50 a.m. after reports of a plane down at the end of the runway.
When first responders arrived, they confirmed that a small aircraft had crashed. No injuries were reported, but the plane was leaking fuel, said the West Milford Office of Emergency Management. Crews quickly contained the spill.
The airport reopened about an hour later. The crash is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration.
https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/passaic/west-milford/2025/10/06/greenwood-lake-airport-crash-in-west-milford-results-in-no-injuries/86552606007/
NTSB Final Report: Hartline J Bon Hartline Kitfox III
Airplane Did Not Lift Off When Expected, And That The Controls Were Sluggish
Location: Logan, Utah Accident Number: WPR25LA227
Date & Time: July 22, 2025, 16:40 Local Registration: N422K
Aircraft: Hartline J Bon Hartline Kitfox III Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight Injuries: 1 Minor, 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
Analysis: The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during takeoff roll, the airplane did not lift off when expected, and that the controls were sluggish. He applied flaps and the airplane “popped up off the runway.” Once airborne, the airplane began to drift to the right and despite the pilot’s corrections, continued to drift to the right. Subsequently, the airplane descended, landed hard, and came to rest upright, about 90° off runway heading. The right wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. He added that prior to takeoff, he did not check the windsock prior to takeoff and did not compensate enough for the high density altitude and the airplane being near its maximum gross weight. At the time of the accident, the pilot was taking off on runway 28, with wind variable from 180° to 270° at 9 knots. The calculated density altitude at the time of the accident was 7,501 ft.
Probable Cause and Findings: The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be -- The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during takeoff in variable wind and high density altitude conditions.
FMI: www.ntsb.gov
Today in History
46 Years ago today: On 7 October 1979 Swissair flight 316, a DC-8-62, overran the runway on landing at Athens Airport, Greece, killing 14 occupants; 140 survived the accident.
| Date: | Sunday 7 October 1979 |
| Time: | 22:15 |
| Type: | McDonnell Douglas DC-8-62 |
| Owner/operator: | Swissair |
| Registration: | HB-IDE |
| MSN: | 45919/312 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1967 |
| Engine model: | P&W JT3D- |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 14 / Occupants: 154 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Athens-Ellinikon International Airport (ATH) - Greece |
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Genève-Cointrin Airport (GVA/LSGG) |
| Destination airport: | Athens-Ellinikon International Airport (ATH/LGAT) |
| Confidence Rating: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Narrative:
Swissair flight 316, a DC-8-62, overran the runway
on landing at Athens Airport, Greece, killing 14 occupants; 140 survived the accident.
Swissair flight SR316 originated at Genève-Cointrin Airport (GVA), Switzerland and was bound for Bombay, India Beijing, China. Athens was the first intermediate stop.
During an ILS approach to runway 33R at Athens Airport, the crew got visual contact with the airport and was cleared to land on runway 15L. The approach was made at a speed of 146 knots and the aircraft touched down about 740 m beyond the displaced threshold and about 2240 m before the runway end.
The DC-8 decelerated but overran the end of the runway. The left wing and tail separated before the aircraft came to rest on a public road some 80 m beyond the end of the runway and 4 m below airport elevation. A fire broke out on the right side and spread quickly. All 14 victims died due to smoke or fire and were all seated at rows 21-26.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "(1) The crew touched down the aircraft too late, at a speed higher than normal after a non-stabilized final approach. (2) The crew did not fully apply the braking systems (wheel brakes and reverse thrust) particularly the wheel brakes after a touchdown under known adverse conditions, so that it was not possible to stop the aircraft at least before the end of the overrun area."
Note: the member of the Operations team of the Accident Investigation Committee had a different opinion from the rest of the Committee regarding the cause of the accident. That is:
"After a non-stabilized approach a too-late touchdown at an increased speed was not realized by the crew. Contributing was the fact that (1) the company's recommended technique concerning 'landing when braking action is less then good' was not followed by the crew. (2) Wheel brake application was not fully utilized by the crew at the proper stage of rolling after touchdown. (3) Reverse thrust application was not fully utilized by the crew at the proper stage of rolling after touchdown. "
