Officials: 3 dead after medical helicopter crashes in Owen County
By Matthew Dietz and Karin Johnson
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OWENTON, Kentucky (WLWT) — Three people have died after a medical helicopter crashed in Owen County on Monday night.
The crash happened around 5:34 p.m., near State Route 22, about two miles north of Owen County High School in Owenton.
The helicopter that crashed was with Air Evac Lifeteam 133, based out of Grant County, Kentucky.
“Air Evac Lifeteam is heartbroken to share that three crew members from AEL base 133 perished in a helicopter accident in Owenton, Kentucky today,” the company said in a statement Monday night.
The FAA said three crew members were onboard the helicopter when it crashed and died at the scene.
Kentucky State Police identified the victims of the crash as Gale Alleman, Bethany Aicken, and James Welsh. The victims’ ages were not provided on Monday.
Air Evac Lifeteam said the helicopter was traveling to a scene to pick up a patient when the crash occurred.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.
In an FAA Accident and Incident Notification report, aviation officials say they believe, through preliminary information, that the helicopter hit a guy-wire and crashed, with a post-crash fire being caused in Owenton.
According to Owen Electric Cooperative, Inc., which serves residents in Owen County, power outages were reported due to the helicopter crash. All power was restored for customers around 6:50 p.m. Monday.
The NTSB released a statement on Monday night, saying a preliminary report is expected within 30 days of the crash. An investigator with the NTSB will arrive at the scene on Tuesday.
“Once on scene, the investigator will begin the process of documenting the scene and examining the aircraft. Part of the investigation will be to request radar data, weather information, maintenance records and the pilot’s medical records. NTSB investigators will look at the human, machine and environment as the outline of the investigation,” the statement from the NTSB said in part.
Ernesto Hernandez, the owner of a nearby restaurant, Amigo Owenton, said customers were outside on the patio when the chopper went down behind them.
“Everybody working, we heard a big explosion,” Hernandez said. “We come outside and we see a lot of dark sky, everybody wondering what happened.
Hernandez said there was an explosion and that he saw smoke and flames nearby.
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