A medical air ambulance helicopter crashed violently onto a major Sacramento freeway late Monday evening, critically injuring three crew members and leading to a chaotic multi-agency emergency response and significant traffic disruption.
The red Airbus H-130 helicopter, operated by Reach Air Medical Services (known as Reach 5), went down on the eastbound lanes of Highway 50 near the 59th Street exit just after 7:00 p.m. local time.
The aircraft, which had reportedly taken off minutes earlier from the roof of UC Davis Medical Center, was found upside down in the middle of the road.
All three occupants—identified as the pilot, a flight nurse, and a paramedic—were rushed to a local hospital in critical condition. Authorities confirmed there were no patients on board at the time of the crash.
Motorists help victim trapped underneath medical helicopter
The crash occurred after the crew offloaded a patient at UC Davis Medical Center and were flying back, according to Sylvia.
During an earlier news conference, Sylvia said one victim had been trapped underneath the helicopter. At the time, only one fire engine was at the scene, and crews did not have extrication tools, he said.
“We only had one engine on scene at that point. Others were trying to make access to the scene,” Sylvia said. “That one person that was trapped, the captain immediately sequestered the help of just civilians that were standing around.”
Motorists in the area helped lift part of the helicopter and get the victim out, who was then loaded into an ambulance, according to Sylvia. He noted that all three victims were transported to hospitals within 20 minutes of first responders arriving on scene.
“There has been a harrowing helicopter crash on 50 eastbound west of 59th St.,” Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty said in a post on X. Thank you to our brave first responders (@SacFirePIO) & ~15 bystanders who assisted Sac Fire until more units arrived on scene.”
Harrowing Scene and Heroic Rescue
The impact was described by first responders as astonishingly violent, leaving personnel shocked that anyone survived. Sacramento Fire Department Captain Justin Sylvia noted the harrowing scene: one victim was ejected from the cockpit, and another was pinned beneath the wreckage.
In a heroic effort, a fire captain and approximately 15 bystanders worked together to manually lift part of the mangled helicopter to free one of the victims trapped underneath.
Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty acknowledged the efforts, posting, “Thank you to our brave first responders and ~15 bystanders who assisted Sac Fire until more units arrived on scene.”
Major Investigation Underway
The wreckage, which created a large debris field across the highway, resulted in the complete closure of the eastbound lanes of Highway 50 for the remainder of the night as the investigation began.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) and the Sacramento Fire Department established a critical perimeter, concerned about residual fuel igniting.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have been notified and are launching a full investigation to determine the cause of the crash. While the flight path suggested it was in the initial stages of a journey, the intended destination remains unclear.
The focus of the probe will be on potential mechanical failure, weather factors, and pilot communication leading up to the unexpected descent.
