NTSB Press Release

National Transportation Safety Board
Office of Public Affairs

UPDATE ON INVESTIGATION OF EMS HELICOPTER CRASH NEAR OXON HILL, MARYLAND

January 12, 2005

On Monday, January 10 at approximately 11:10 pm Eastern Standard Time a Eurocopter EC-135 helicopter operating as an air ambulance positioning flight crashed in the Potomac River, killing two of the three crew members aboard.

Today investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board inspected four of the five cranes along the Potomac River near the Wilson Bridge construction project. No structural damage or obvious aircraft strike indications were found on the four cranes inspected today. The fifth (and tallest) crane will be inspected by investigators tomorrow.

The NTSB's investigation of this crash continues and factual updates will be provided as information is available.

NTSB Office of Public Affairs: (202) 314-6100

Wreckage of EC-135 EMS helicopter being examined at NTSB Academy in Ashburn, Virginia: