3 die in air ambulance crash

BISMARCK, N.D. — An air ambulance on its way to pick up a patient crashed shortly after taking off in North Dakota, killing all three people on board, and military officials involved in the response said the plane may have broken up in midair.

The twin-engine Bismarck Air Medical airplane took off about 10:30 p.m. Sunday and crashed shortly after in a field about 20 miles northwest of Bismarck. Air traffic control officials lost contact with the plane about 11 p.m., county spokeswoman Maxine Herr said.

CHI St. Alexius Health and Bismarck Air Medical said in a joint statement that the pilot, a paramedic and a registered nurse had been heading to Williston to pick up a patient. “It is a sad day here for both of our organizations,” the A twin-engine Bismarck Air Medical airplane crashed late Sunday in a field about 20 miles northwest of Bismarck, N.D.

statement said. It did not provide the names of those killed.

The Morton County Sheriff’s Office, Civil Air Patrol and Air Force Rescue Coordination Center based at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida located the crash scene early Monday using radar and cellphone technology, Herr said.

An analysis by the Air Force team indicated the plane might have broken up at about

14,000 feet, and “that corresponded with what they found on the ground,” Civil Air Patrol Lt. Col. Sean Johnson said.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration were investigating.

National Weather Service meteorologist Jeff Schild said there was light snow in the area at the time but no hazardous weather.