An air ambulance crashed in the Superstition Mountains on Tuesday, killing two people and injuring one.
The Colorado-based company that was operating the helicopter, Air Methods Corporation, is one of the largest in the country and connected to another deadly crash in Arizona.
In 2008, seven people died from a mid-air collision in Flagstaff. A KJZZ review of federal data indicates that, including this most recent crash, 33 people have died across the country over the last two decades in aircraft operated by the company and its subsidiaries. In that time frame, five incidents — fatal and non-fatal — occurred in Arizona.
Anthony Brickhouse, a professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, said helicopter emergency medical services can be a very risky kind of flying.
“A lot of times they are called out in unfavorable weather conditions. It’s a high stress situation. A lot of times you have really severely injured people on board," said Brickhouse. "So the type of flying they’re doing is right on the edge, basically."
The safety of helicopter air ambulances has been under scrutiny in recent years, following a federal review, which found more than 100 deaths could have been prevented over two decades with more rigorous safety requirements. The Federal Aviation Administration adopted those news rules last year.
Following the crash, Air Methods issued a statement saying its thoughts and prayers go to those affected.
The National Transportation Safety Board is currently investigating.
