CANTON, Miss. — A tragic helicopter crash that occurred in a secluded area of Mississippi has claimed the lives of three individuals on board, with federal officials revealing that the aircraft had reported a “flight control problem” shortly prior to the accident. The helicopter’s pilot had planned to execute an emergency landing in a nearby field according to the radio communications received by the company’s base. Sadly, the helicopter crashed soon after this communication and subsequently burst into flames, according to authorities.
The National Transportation Safety Board’s examination revealed that the helicopter’s rotors had made contact with the trees, leaving marks consistent with the impact. These findings were disclosed during a press briefing held near the location of the crash by board member J. Todd Inman.
Among those who lost their lives were crew members Jakob Kindt, aged 37, and Dustin Pope, aged 35, both hailing from Mississippi cities Tupelo and Philadelphia respectively. The pilot, Cal Wesolowski, aged 62, from Starkville, Mississippi, was also a casualty of the crash. Wesolowski was employed by Med-Trans Corp., an organization that collaborates with various health care systems and agencies to provide medical air transportation.
The helicopter had been making its return to its base in Columbus, Mississippi, following a patient transportation mission, when it crashed into Madison County on Monday around 12:30 p.m., as reported by Dr. LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor for health affairs at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, during a press conference.
“The entire Medical Center family is heartbroken over this,” expressed Woodward, conveying the somber sentiment shared by the community grieving this terrible loss.