1 crew member killed, 2 critically injured in medical helicopter crash near Nashville

LEBANON, Tenn. (AP) — A medical helicopter crashed Saturday east of Nashville, Tennessee, killing one crew member and critically injuring two other crew members, authorities said. No patients were on board.

The Vanderbilt LifeFlight helicopter went down around 1:45 p.m. in a field east of Nashville, between Lebanon and Gallatin, about 22 miles (35 kilometers) east of Nashville, the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office said.

The helicopter crashed about 12 miles (19 kilometers) south of the Music City Executive Airport and its base at the Sumner County Emergency Operations Center.

The National Transportation Safety Board said it is investigating.

The two injured crew members were being treated at Vanderbilt University Hospital in Nashville, Vanderbilt LifeFlight said in a statement. Such flights typically carry a pilot, a paramedic and a nurse.

“Our hearts and deepest sympathies are with our Vanderbilt LifeFlight colleagues, their families, and loved ones during this difficult time,” the statement said.

The helicopter, an Airbus EC130T2, was manufactured in 2015, according to Federal Aviation Administration records.

According to the aviation tracking websites FlightAware and Flightradar24, the helicopter took off from the emergency operations center at 1:33 p.m. and flew for eight minutes before crashing.