Overview

• The Airbus H130 operated by REACH Air Medical Services went down on eastbound Highway 50 near 59th Street shortly after departing UC Davis Medical Center with no patient aboard.
• A pilot, nurse, and paramedic were transported to hospitals in critical condition, including one person rescued from beneath the wreckage with help from about 15 bystanders and first responders.
• California Highway Patrol said no motorists or vehicles were involved, and the helicopter came to rest upside down with a large debris field.
• Eastbound lanes were closed with significant backups as authorities redirected traffic and warned the shutdown would last for an extended period.
• The probe is expected to include the FAA and possibly the NTSB, and REACH said it is working to determine details and the crew’s conditions.