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Troopers Investigating Fatal Helicopter Crash in Vinton County

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UPDATE 4:03 p.m. — Authorities have released the names of the three people killed in a medical helicopter crash in Vinton County.

The flight crew has been identified as pilot Jennifer Topper, 34, of Sunbury and flight nurses Bradley J. Haynes, 48, of London and Rachel L. Cunningham, 33, of Galloway.


UPDATE 2:34 p.m. – The Ohio State Highway Patrol confirmed three people are dead after a medical helicopter crashed in Vinton County.

A press release said patrol was notified by Survival Flight that communication had been lost with one of their helicopters.

The Bell 407 helicopter had been flying from Mount Carmel Grove City hospital to Holzer Meigs Hospital in Pomeroy, according to the press release.

(Ohio State Highway Patrol)

At about 10 a.m. Tuesday, troopers from the Jackson Post, along with the patrol’s Special Response Team and Aviation Unit found the wreckage of the helicopter east of State Route 278 and south of King Hollow Trail in Brown Township.

The crash is still being investigated, and names of the dead are being withheld until next-of-kin are notified.


COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Ohio authorities are investigating a fatal medical helicopter crash in the southeastern part of the state.

The Federal Aviation Administration reports that a medical flight on its way to Pomeroy crashed Tuesday morning near Zaleski, Ohio. FAA spokesman Tony Molinaro in Chicago said three people were reported aboard the Bell 407 that crashed, but he had no other information.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol in the state capital of Columbus says it expects to release details soon on the crash that was reported Tuesday morning in Vinton County. The Vinton County sheriff’s office referred calls to the Highway Patrol.

Molinaro says the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will have investigators at the scene.