MOUNTAIN CITY, Tenn. — A Wellmont Health System medical helicopter crashed Friday afternoon just after picking up a patient.
Johnson County Sheriff’s Office officials confirmed to WJHL the medical helicopter had just loaded a patient involved in a car crash.
The helicopter took off and was reported to be about 100 feet off the ground when the motor stopped. The helicopter lost altitude and crashed in a parking lot.
The helicopter’s pilot was taken to a hospital. The car crash patient was later loaded into another helicopter to be flown for treatment.
Wellmont Health System and PHI Air Medical issued the following statement:
WellmontOne Air Transport was dispatched Friday, June 3, to Johnson County to transport a patient.
Soon after liftoff, the pilot, an employee of PHI Air Medical, which owns and operates the aircraft, identified a mechanical condition that required immediate landing. He executed emergency procedures to bring the aircraft to the ground, limiting risk to the passengers and damage to the aircraft.
Another emergency medical services agency continued the patient’s transport to the hospital. Additionally, the pilot was taken to a nearby medical facility after sustaining nonlife-threatening injuries.
Wellmont and PHI Air Medical are reviewing this matter to determine exactly what happened and are cooperating with all authorities. We are grateful for the quick actions of the crew, which demonstrated their extensive training, and are relieved that all are safe.
The condition of the other crew members has not been reported.
@JoshSmithWJHL @RadioMediaGuy @wellmonthealth @WJHL11 from our fan J.Smith pic.twitter.com/JUQuhVl6h7
— Scannerfood (@scannerfood) June 3, 2016
The WellmontOne helicopter is based in Bristol, Tennessee. WellmontOne helicopters and pilots are supplied by Petroleum Helicopters Inc.