Three crew members killed when medical helicopter crashed in Kentucky

OWENTON, Kentucky: A medical helicopter heading to pick up a patient hit a wire and crashed in Kentucky, killing its three crew members, authorities said.

Kentucky State Police said in a news release that the crash was reported on October 7 evening in Owenton near state Highway 22. Police identified the victims as Gale Alleman, Bethany Aicken, and James Welsh.

A preliminary report from the Federal Aviation Administration posted online said the helicopter hit a guy wire near the ground, crashed, and caught fire. It was on its way to pick up a patient.

Police said they are conducting the death investigation, and the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash. An NTSB investigator had reached the scene.