Just as the air ambulance industry is gearing up to meet the new FAA standards, another tragedy has struck reminding the air ambulance industry of the grave danger that the crew and pilots face each day, not to mention the patients travelling along. This time the crash occurred in the state of Oklahoma. Air ambulances that are supposed to save lives sometimes become the reason for death. In the recent air ambulance fatality that occurred on Thursday, 12th of March, the unfortunate, yet brave pilot Matt Mathews lost his life.
Circumstances Surrounding the Air Ambulance Crash are Still Unknown
According to a report released by the Federal Aviation Administration, the chopper belonged to EagleMed and had crashed around 11:25 p.m. The circumstances that led to the crash are not yet known although efforts are on to find the exact reason. The crew consisted of Kim Ramsey, a nurse and Ryan Setzkorn, a paramedic. Both of them were injured in the crash and had to be hospitalized. The chopper crashed into a heavily wooded place close to Lake Eufaula.
The Events Prior to the Air Ambulance Disaster
The air ambulance had taken off to save Dillan McCoy, a young 13-year-old kid, who was involved in a pedestrian versus motor vehicle accident. From the outset, it seems like a situation where the pilot and crew had put the safety of the patient before their own lives putting their life in danger even in ‘less than ideal’ conditions for flying. However, all this still remains a speculation as the exact reason behind the air ambulance crash is still unknown. According to a spokesperson from the FAA, the air ambulance was travelling from Tulsa to McAlester and the crashed air ambulance was found 14 miles from Eufaula.
The current crash has been EagleMed’s fourth since the year 2010. During the period between 2011 and 2013, there have been 7 air ambulance crashes resulting in 19 people losing their lives.
