Medical helicopter crashes in Texas, killing 4
HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) -June 8, 2008
Rescue crews struggled to find the wreckage in the dense Sam
Houston National Forest. The cause was being investigated.
The PHI Air Medical helicopter was on its way from a Huntsville
hospital when a missed check-in with dispatchers raised concern,
PHI spokesman Jonathan Collier said. The chopper was found about 10
miles from where it had taken off, he said.
"This is a devastating loss," Collier said.
Killed were flight nurse Jana Bishop, pilot Wayne Kirby and
flight paramedic Stephanie Waters, all PHI employees. The name of
the patient on board and the medical emergency involved were not
immediately released.
The crash happened about 2:45 a.m., said Ronald Herwig, a
spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration. Federal
investigators were headed to the crash site, about 70 miles north
of Houston.
