Image: Morton County Sheriff’s Office
A Cessna 441 crashed near Bismarck, North Dakota, late Sunday night, killing all three people on board. The aircraft, which was owned by Bismarck Air Medical and used as an air ambulance, was en route from Bismarck to Williston, North Dakota, to pick up a patient. The victims have been identified as Todd Lasky, 48, Bonnie Cook, 63, and Chris Iverson, 47. Lasky was a pilot with Bismarck Air Medical and Iverson worked as a paramedic with the same company. Cook was a nurse at CHI St. Alexius Health medical center.
According to the Morton County Sheriff’s Office, the aircraft was reported missing at approximately 11 p.m., about 30 minutes after it departed from Bismarck Airport. The Sheriff’s Office also reported that the Civil Air Patrol and an Air Force rescue team were able to track the aircraft’s location using cellphone forensics and radar analysis. No emergency communications were received.
The wreckage was discovered about 20 miles northwest of Mandan, North Dakota. Early reports have suggested an inflight breakup. The NTSB and FAA are investigating.
