Local News
AirCare Helicopter Crashes in Madison County, Pilot and UMMC employees killed
Jackson, Miss. – A medical helicopter from the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) crashed Tuesday afternoon in a heavily wooded area near the Natchez Trace Parkway, resulting in multiple fatalities, according to local officials.
UMMC AirCare Crew Identified in Fatal Helicopter Crash Near Natchez Trace
The AirCare helicopter went down in a remote location south of the Natchez Trace and north of Pipeline Road.
A Madison County official confirmed that there were fatalities but did not specify the number of victims.
“We are on the scene of a medical helicopter crash in a heavily wooded area. There are fatalities. We are now awaiting the arrival of the FAA. Any other information should come from them,” the official stated.
In an email statement, Dr. LouAnn Woodward, Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs at UMMC, confirmed that the helicopter was carrying:
- A Med-Trans pilot
- Two UMMC employee crew members
- No patients were on board at the time of the crash
Authorities have not yet released the identities of the victims.
Emergency responders, including the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Gluckstadt Fire Department, and multiple first responder teams, are on the scene.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is expected to take over the investigation to determine the cause of the crash.
UMMC operates the AirCare medical flight program, which includes helicopters based in Jackson, Meridian, Columbus, and Greenwood.
These helicopters are used to transport critically ill or injured patients to UMMC and other hospitals across the state.
Authorities are expected to release additional details as the investigation progresses.
A private plane crash in Copake, New York, over the weekend claimed the lives of six individuals, including a former NCAA Woman of the Year and members of a prominent family of medical and academic professionals.
The group was en route to the Catskills for a family gathering and to observe the Passover holiday when tragedy struck.
Authorities identified the victims as 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year and former Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) soccer standout Karenna Groff, her father Dr. Michael Groff, a respected neuroscientist and the pilot of the aircraft, her mother Dr. Joy Saini, a urogynecologist, and her boyfriend James Santoro, also a recent MIT graduate.
The other two individuals aboard the plane have not yet been publicly identified.
The crash occurred just after noon on Saturday when their twin-engine Mitsubishi MU-2B went down in a muddy field in the town of Copake, near the New York-Massachusetts border.
The aircraft had taken off earlier that morning from an airport in White Plains, a suburb of New York City, and was scheduled to land at Columbia County Airport.
The crash site is located approximately 20 miles south of the intended destination.
Columbia County Undersheriff Jacqueline Salvatore noted that emergency response efforts were hampered by the remote and muddy terrain where the aircraft went down.
“It’s in the middle of a field and it’s pretty muddy, so accessibility is difficult,” she said during a press briefing Saturday.
Family members expressed deep sorrow over the sudden and devastating loss. John Santoro, father of victim James Santoro, described the Groff family as “wonderful people” who had already made meaningful contributions to the world and had the potential to do much more.
“The world lost a lot of very good people who were going to do a lot of good for the world if they had the opportunity,” he said. “We’re all personally devastated.”
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation into the cause of the crash and is expected to release further details in the coming days. Funeral arrangements for the victims are currently underway.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through both the MIT community and medical circles, as those lost were remembered not only for their achievements but for their warmth, compassion, and dedication to service.