| A Maryland State Police medical evacuation helicopter (Trooper 2) crashed early Sunday in foggy weather, killing four of the five people on board.
The medical helicopter was carrying victims of a traffic accident in Waldorf, MD when it went down in a PG County park. It was the deadliest medevac helicopter accident in Maryland since the State Police began flying those missions nearly 40 years ago, and the eighth fatal medical helicopter crash in the last 12 months nationwide.
The helicopter was on a roughly 25-mile trip to a Prince George's County hospital from the traffic accident late Saturday when it was diverted to Andrews Air Force Base because of bad weather. As the helicopter approached, its runway location was changed and the pilot radioed that he was having trouble assessing his surroundings. He again asked for assistance with the landing, and that was the last air traffic controllers heard from him. The helicopter crashed about 1:15 a.m. Sunday, three miles from the base.
Killed in the crash Sunday were the pilot, Stephen Bunker, 59; the flight paramedic, Mickey Lippy, 34; an emergency medical technician, Tanya Mallard, 39; and one traffic accident victim, Ashley Younger, 18. An 18-year-old woman also injured in the traffic accident in Charles County survived the helicopter crash. She was in critical condition at a hospital.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of all the victims. |
