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Research notes on medical helicopter crashes and accidents in North Carolina, both fatal and non-fatal. Pictured is the Life Force crash in Macon County in March 2023. The four crew members all survived with minor to moderate injuries. Photo credit TBD.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1980s<\/strong><\/p>\n Duke Life Flight, Duke University Hospital, Durham Fatal Fatal 1990s<\/strong><\/p>\n Fatal 2000s<\/p>\n Fatal 2010s<\/strong><\/p>\n Fatal 2020s<\/strong><\/p>\n Life Force, Erlanger Health System, Tennessee Novant AirLink Other Medical Helicopter Incidents<\/strong><\/p>\n Duke Life Flight, Duke University Hospital, Durham TBD, possibly EastCare
\n7\/21\/1986
\nCrashed near NC 751 and Fayetteville Street in Durham County, during patient transport
\nFive people injured with minor injuries.
\nNTSB ATL86FA203
\n\u00a0
\nFatal
\nAirCare, North Carolina Baptist Hospitals, Winston-Salem
\n9\/23\/1986
\nCrashed while en route to Twin County Community Hospital in Galax, VA, to pick up a patient, when it crashed into the peak of Horse Knob, a 3,400-high mountain about a half-mile south of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The crash occurred around 12:54 p.m. Witnesses said it appeared to be having mechanical problems before the crash.
\nKilled Barry Wayne Day, 36, pilot
\nKilled Karen Simpson, 30, nurse
\nKilled Barbara Burdett, 28, nurse\u00a0
\nNTSB ATL86FA264<\/p>\n
\nEast Care, Pitt County Memorial Hospital, Greenville
\n1\/8\/1987
\nCrashed while transporting a three-month-old girl from Camp Lejeune Naval Hospital to the Greenville neonatal unit at about 9:15 p.m. It had left the hospital at 8:59 p.m. A distress call was heard on a medical radio frequency, with someone saying \u201cmayday, mayday \u2026 we have a fire on board and are going down.\u201d The pilot of the Bell 206 LongRanger was apparently trying to land in a clearing in a stand of young pine trees in the Hoffman Forest near Pollocksville, NC. The aircraft crashed in a swampy area of the forest. Marine Corps Air Station New River conducted a search and rescue operation and located the wreckage. All souls aboard were killed.
\nKilled Perry Lee Reynolds, 39, pilot
\nKilled Mike Patrick McGinnis, 32, chief flight nurse
\nKilled Pamela M. Demaree, 28, flight nurse\u00a0
\nNTSB ATL87MA057<\/p>\n
\nMedflight, Dare County EMS, Manteo
\n3\/26\/1989
\nCrashed whils returning from an emergency call, and from transporting a small child to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, when their aircraft struck an unlighted cellular tower under construction in Coinjock in Currituck County that was directly in their flight path. There were no lights on the tower, as required by the FAA. The lights were scheduled to be installed the day following the crash. On August 22, 1989, the Dare County Board of Commissioners dedicated the Duvall-Willoughby Hangar at the county airport in their memory, and with a stone memorial marker with their names.\u00a0
\nKilled Claude Clara “C.C.” Duvall II, 53, pilot
\nKilled Stephanie Willoughby, 34, EMT\u00a0
\nNTSB ATL89FA116<\/p>\n
\nAir Care, North Carolina Baptist Hospital, Winston-Salem
\n4\/22\/1994
\nCrashed while travelling from Winston-Salem to Bluefield, WV, to pick up a patient. The weather was rainy and extremely foggy and the crew was flying by instruments. Just seven minutes from the Mercer County, WV, airport, the helicopter crashed into East River Mountain. All four crew members were killed.
\nKilled Michael Travison, 32
\nKilled Anthony Barbee
\nKilled Donna L Eaton, 33
\nKilled Karen L Canada, 38\u00a0
\nNTSB https:\/\/data.ntsb.gov\/Docket?ProjectID=8841<\/a><\/p>\n
\nDuke Life Flight, Duke University Hospital, Durham
\n10\/17\/2000
\nCrashed while returning to Duke University Medical Center from Alamance Regional Medical Center. Prior to landing at Alamance, the Life Flight II pilot had noticed a warning light indicating low oil pressure and called maintenance personnel. The patient he had been sent to transport had already been moved by ground transportation. Following an inspection, the helicopter was cleared to fly. Minutes later, after departing the hospital in Burlington, the helicopter crashed in a fiery explosion.
\nKilled John A Holland, 39, pilot\u00a0
\nNTSB MIA01FA006<\/p>\n
\nDuke Life Flight, Duke University Hospital, Durham
\n9\/8\/2017
\nCrashed in Perquimans County near Belvedere, during patient transport from Sentara Albemarle Medical Center in Elizabeth City to Duke University Hospital in Durham. The aircraft was based at Johnston Regional Airport in Smithfield. The aircraft crashed in a grassy field, south of the Perquimans\/Gates County line. Witnesses reported seeing a trail of dark smoke coming from the helicopter before the crash. All four souls aboard were killed, including patient Mary Bartlett.
\nKilled Jeff Burke, pilot
\nKilled Crystal Sollinger nurse
\nKilled Kris Harrison, nurse
\nKilled Mary Bartlett, patient
\nNTSB https:\/\/data.ntsb.gov\/Docket?ProjectID=95967<\/a><\/p>\n
\n3\/9\/2023
\nCrashed in Macon County, en route to pick up a patient in Asheville.
\nFour people injured with minor to moderate injuries.
\nNTSB https:\/\/data.ntsb.gov\/Docket?ProjectID=106859<\/a><\/p>\n
\nFebruary 24, 2025
\nCrashed in woods near New Hanover\/Pender county line, while returning to base in Wilmington.
\nThree people injured with minor injuries.
\nNTSB ERA25LA126<\/p>\n
\n2\/8\/2009
\nEmergency landing after bird strike in Yanceyville, transporting patient from Danville, VA
\nNo injuries
\nNo NTSB<\/p>\n
\n12\/29\/10
\nEmergency landing after pilot became partially incapacitated, after departing Greenville en route to Morehead City. Landed at Cherry Point MCAS with heavy damage.
\nNo injuries
\nNTSB ERA11LA106<\/p>\n