An Airbus EC-130 T2 helicopter registered to Reach Air Medical Services crashed on a Sacramento freeway on Monday evening. All three crew members, including the pilot, a flight nurse, and a paramedic, were critically injured. According to the Sacramento Fire Department, the accident took place shortly after 7 p.m., during the return trip from a patient transport mission.
Helicopter Crash
— Sacramento Fire Department (@SacFirePIO) October 7, 2025
US HWY 50 at 59th St.
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. pic.twitter.com/dXPyGQ5cEl
Sacramento Fire Department Captain Justin Sylvia told the Associated Press that two of the crew members were found by rescue crews on the roadway while a third was pinned beneath the helicopter. A fire captain and nearby bystanders helped lift the aircraft to free the trapped crew member before all three were transported to local hospitals with critical injuries.
“No vehicles on the freeway were involved,” Sylvia told the AP, calling it “mind blowing” that the crash occurred in the center lanes without striking passing traffic.
BREAKING NEWS 🚨🚨#Sacramento / #California
— OC Scanner 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 (@OC_Scanner) October 7, 2025
NEW Dramatic social media video shows a REACH Air Medial Helicopter crashing near downtown Sacramento this evening. The crash occurred just after 7pm this evening on the EB lanes of Hwy 50. The Helicopter had just lifted off from UC… pic.twitter.com/XeF0tlJJA1
REACH said in a statement it was “in the process of determining the details of this situation” and that it was keeping those affected “in our thoughts and prayers.”
Photos and video obtained by CBS Sacramento show the helicopter upside down across several lanes, debris scattered over the roadway.
The California Highway Patrol reopened one eastbound lane late Monday to allow limited traffic flow, while investigators from the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are expected to examine the wreckage. The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said it is assisting the CHP in the investigation into what caused the aircraft to go down.
As for me, I’ll take my chances with ground transportation only.