Helicopters Collide in Ariz., At Least 7 Dead
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
PHOENIX — Two medical helicopters collided in midair yesterday afternoon near an Arizona hospital, killing at least seven people and critically injuring three, a federal official said.
All three people on one of the helicopters were killed in the Flagstaff collision, including a patient and the pilot, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, Ian Gregor, said.
Four others were killed and three critically wounded, Mr. Gregor said. He wasn’t sure if they were all on the second helicopter or whether some were on the ground.
The cause of the collision is being investigated.
The collision occurred near Flagstaff Medical Center. A hospital spokeswoman, Starla Addair, said she did not have any information to release.
The crash started a 10-acre brush fire that authorities were able to extinguish, a Coconino County sheriff’s spokesman, Gerry Blair, said.
