Sacramento helicopter crash: Horror as air ambulance flips and crashes to ground

A busy highwaywas brought to a standstill last night after an air ambulance flipped upside down and crashed - sparking chaos and leaving three people seriously injured. Emergency crews raced to free a woman trapped beneath the wreckage.

The helicopterwas making a return trip from a hospitalafter dropping off a patient when it experienced an 'in-air emergency' shortly after 7pm on Monday. Captain Justin Sylvia, a spokesperson for the Sacramento Fire Department, said a pilot, nurse and paramedic were rushed to hospital in critical condition. He added that no one else on the busy Highway 50 was injured - which was "mind blowing" considering the aircraft crash-landed in the middle of the road. "People reported that they basically saw the helicopter kind of going down quickly. So all the traffic slowed down," Sylvia said.

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A woman among those injured was left trapped underneath the destroyed helicopter as rescue crews from the fire department and others on the highway managed to push the aircraft off her. "It took every ounce of all approximately 15 people to move that aircraft up just enough to get her out," Sylvia said.

Witnesses reported plumes of white smoke rising from the crashed chopper, while images posted online showed a large queue of traffic along the road.

Mike Carrillo, a spokesperson for the Valley Division of California Highway Patrol, said the eastbound lanes of Highway 50 were closed as emergency services continued working at the scene. "The cause of the crash is still under investigation," he added.

REACH Air Medical Services, the company operating the helicopter, said in a statement they "are keeping all those impacted in our thoughts and prayers." It added: "We are in the process of determining the details of this situation, as well as the condition of the REACH crew involved, who were all taken to area hospitals."

Sacramento City Councilwoman Lisa Kaplan told how she was on a ride along with law enforcement responding to the crash and saw plumes of white smoke billowing from the helicopter. "It's really sombering and sobering. I am up flying with sheriff pilots that do this day in and day out. And it really makes you grateful for every day and grateful for our officers and our medical pilots," she said.

The Sacramento Fire Department said in statement posted to X: "Crews responded to a helicopter down on EB US50 West of 59th St. On arrival, 3 victims from the aircraft were located in critical condition. No vehicles were involved, just the helicopter."