EASTLAND, Texas — Three people are in the ICU after a Texas CareFlite helicopter en route to pick up a patient crashed Sunday.
Two medics and a pilot were flying from Granbury to Eastland County when the pilot tried to divert to the Eastland County Airport due to a storm causing limited visibility, according to KTXS.
When first responders arrived, the helicopter’s engine was still running and had ignited a small fire. Sgt. David Foster of the Eastland Department of Public Safety said firefighters on the scene were able to prevent the engine from exploding.
“They did an excellent job and were able to get the fire out and we were actually able to get the engine put out by putting water in the exhaust,” he said.
The three people involved in the crash were still conscious and able to talk with responders. Foster said they all likely have broken bones and at least one of them suffered head trauma.
He added that the pilot did well in maneuvering away from other potential dangers.
“You can see there’s power lines — some high voltage lines — apparently the pilot saw those, he did an excellent job in avoiding those,” he said. “This could have possibly turned out a lot worse than it was.”
The FAA is currently investigating the cause of the crash, which may take several months to complete.