3 Injured in Texas Careflight Helicopter Crash

Oct. 01--A CareFlite medical team and pilot on their way to pick up a patient in Eastland County were injured Sunday morning when their aircraft went down near Eastland, officials said.

A flight nurse, flight paramedic and pilot were on board the CareFlite helicopter when it made a hard landing about three miles south of Eastland, near Texas 6 and County Road 309.

The injured were pilot Scott Wallace, 58, of Fort Worth and medics Teresa Campbell, 53, of Granbury and Rhett Drahen, 34, of Frisco.

The three were taken to Eastland Memorial Hospital. Their injuries were not considered life-threatening, said CareFlite president Jim Swartz.

The helicopter departed from Granbury and was headed to Eastland, said FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory.

"They were just about to land in Eastland when it went down," Swartz said later Sunday. "We don't know what happened."

According to a Texas Department of Public Safety report, the pilot was attempting to divert to the Eastland County Airport because of limited visibililty due to bad weather.

The aircraft's engine was still running when DPS troopers arrived on the scene, according to a DPS news release.

The hard landing occurred shortly after 9:30 a.m. in Eastland County.

Eastland is about 95 miles west of Fort Worth.

FAA officials are investigating.

This report contains information from the Associated Press.

Domingo Ramirez Jr., 817-390-7763

Twitter: @mingoramirezjr

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