A medical helicopter crashed on a busy highway in Sacramento, California, on Monday evening, leaving three crew members critically injured, according to U.S. media reports.
The crash occurred just after 7:00 p.m. local time (0200 GMT Tuesday) on eastbound Highway 50, shortly after the aircraft took off from UC Davis Medical Center.
Authorities confirmed that no patients or vehicles were involved in the accident. The helicopter had only three people on board — a pilot, a nurse, and a paramedic — all of whom were rushed to nearby hospitals in critical condition, the Sacramento Fire Department said.
Videos shared on social media showed the helicopter hovering low over cars before suddenly losing control and crashing onto the road’s median, sending up a cloud of smoke and debris.
Several bystanders rushed to help emergency crews, reportedly lifting part of the wreckage to rescue one person trapped underneath, according to local fire officials.
The crash caused major traffic disruption as authorities shut down eastbound Highway 50 and nearby on-ramps.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) warned drivers to avoid the area, writing on X (formerly Twitter):
“US-50 eastbound and two ramps are closed with no estimated time to reopen. Please use alternate routes and expect delays.”
Local councilmember Lisa Kaplan posted photos showing long lines of vehicles stuck in traffic, describing the highway as “completely blocked.”
Records from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) show that the helicopter was registered to REACH Air Medical Services, a company specializing in emergency medical transport.
Kirsten Gurmendi, spokesperson for REACH’s parent company Global Medical Response, confirmed the incident, stating:
“We are working to determine the details of what happened and the condition of our crew. Thankfully, no patient was on board at the time.”
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said it is assisting the Highway Patrol in investigating the cause of the crash.
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are also expected to join the investigation, as is standard in aviation accidents.
While the exact reason for the crash remains unknown, officials said flight-tracking data showed the helicopter had only been airborne for a few minutes before going down.
