Md. State Police Copter Crash Kills Four

During the early morning hours of September 28, a Maryland State Police helicopter on a medevac mission crashed in District Heights, Md., a suburb of Washington. The AS365N Dauphin carried a pilot, paramedic, two trauma patients and a fire department paramedic. R&W was on the scene and learned that the veteran pilot had radioed air traffic controllers that he was diverting from his intended landing at an area hospital to Andrews AFB (ADW) 11 nm SE, presumably due to poor visibility and low ceilings. A few min later, the aircraft disappeared from radar. The wreckage was found in a heavily wooded park three nm north of ADW on the extended center line of runway 19R. An 18-year old trauma patient was the only survivor, and is listed in critical condition at an area hospital. The cause of the accident is under investigation, but weather is believed to have been a factor. For related news