Helicopter crash critically injures 3, shuts down Highway 50 in Sacramento
WE BEGIN WITH BREAKING NEWS. THREE FLIGHT CREW MEMBERS IN CRITICAL CONDITION THIS HOUR. A MEDICAL CHOPPER THAT JUST TOOK OFF FROM UC DAVIS MEDICAL CENTER CRASHED TONIGHT ON HIGHWAY 50 LIVECOPTER3 OVER THE SCENE NEAR STOCKTON BOULEVARD. AND TONIGHT, WE’RE LEARNING OF HEROISM. BYSTANDERS HELPING FIREFIGHTERS LIFT THAT HELICOPTER OFF. ONE OF THE THREE VICTIMS. THE ENTIRE FLIGHT CREW, TWO WOMEN AND A MAN, ARE NOW IN THE HOSPITAL. THANKS FOR JOINING US. TONIGHT AT TEN. I’M CURTIS SMITH, AND I’M ANDREA FLORES. RIGHT NOW, EASTBOUND HIGHWAY 50 OUT OF DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO IS SHUT DOWN. SO HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR. A REACH AIR MEDICAL SERVICES HELICOPTER CRASHED IN THE EASTBOUND LANES OF HIGHWAY 50 NEAR STOCKTON BOULEVARD JUST AFTER SEVEN TONIGHT. NO ONE ON THE GROUND WAS HIT. SACRAMENTO CITY FIRE TELLS US THE THREE PEOPLE ON BOARD WERE THE PILOT, A NURSE AND A PARAMEDIC, AND ALL THREE IN CRITICAL CONDITION AT LOCAL HOSPITALS. NO PATIENTS WERE ON BOARD THE HELICOPTER. BUT WE WANT TO SHOW YOU AN IMAGE BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE THE FIREFIGHTERS HERE ON BOTH SIDES OF THAT HELICOPTER TENDING TO THE INJURED FLIGHT CREW MEMBERS. AND WE NOW KNOW ONE OF THE CREW MEMBERS WAS PINNED UNDER THAT CRASH CHOPPER. SAC FIRE SAYING IT, CAPTAIN ENLISTED THE HELP OF 15 BYSTANDERS WHO LIFTED THAT CHOPPER OFF OF THE CREW MEMBER. AND IN MOMENTS, YOU’RE GOING TO HEAR FROM ONE OF THOSE HEROES WHO STEPPED IN TO HELP. WE HAVE LIVE TEAM COVERAGE TONIGHT. KCRA 3’S, ANDRES VALLE AND CAROLINA ESTRADA ARE AT THE SCENE OF THIS CRASH RIGHT NOW, AND WE WANT TO START OUR TEAM COVERAGE WITH ANDRES. YOU’VE BEEN ON THE FREEWAY NOW FOR HOURS. YOU’VE BEEN COVERING THIS. SO WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED? YEAH. ANDREA CURTIS, IT IS A CRAZY SIGHT TO SEE. SO WE’RE ACTUALLY ON THOSE EASTBOUND LANES OF HIGHWAY 50 RIGHT NOW. LET ME JUST STEP OUT OF FRAME HERE AND SHOW YOU THAT MAN, THAT MANGLED HELICOPTER RIGHT BEHIND ME, RIGHT THERE. IT’S COMPLETELY DESTROYED. YOU’RE LOOKING AT PRETTY MUCH A DEBRIS FIELD IN THIS AREA. NOW, WE KNOW SO FAR THAT FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS HAVE STILL NOT MADE IT ONTO THE SCENE RIGHT HERE. BUT WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING AT IS THE MIT INVESTIGATORS CURRENTLY ON SCENE. SO THESE PEOPLE ARE CURRENTLY PRETTY MUCH TRYING TO PIECE TOGETHER WHAT CAUSED THIS HELICOPTER TO CRASH. AND AGAIN, THE EASTBOUND LANES OF HIGHWAY 50 ARE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AS OF RIGHT NOW. CHP STILL ON THE SCENE. WE HAVE YET TO SEE ANY NTSB INVESTIGATORS OR ANYBODY FROM THE FAA ARRIVE HERE JUST YET. BUT WE’RE TOLD THAT MORE THAN LIKELY THAT INVESTIGATION IS GOING TO BE TURNED OVER TO THEM. AGAIN, WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR IS THREE PEOPLE WERE INSIDE THAT HELICOPTER WHEN IT CRASHED HERE ON HIGHWAY 50. AND WE KNOW THAT IT INVOLVED TWO FEMALES AND ONE MALE WITH THE PILOT, A NURSE AND A PARAMEDIC ALL ON BOARD. AND IT WAS A CRAZY SIGHT TO SEE AS WELL. WHEN THIS ALL HAPPENED, THAT SACRAMENTO FIRE TOLD US THAT THEY HAD TO ENLIST PEOPLE IN HELPING GET SOMEBODY PINNED WHO WAS PINNED UNDER THAT HELICOPTER. HERE’S WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY. THERE WAS ONE VICTIM THAT WAS TRAPPED UNDERNEATH THE HELICOPTER. WE ONLY HAD ONE ENGINE ON SCENE AT THAT POINT. OTHERS WERE TRYING TO MAKE ACCESS TO THE SCENE. THAT ONE PERSON THAT WAS TRAPPED, THE CAPTAIN, IMMEDIATELY SEQUESTERED THE HELP OF JUST CIVILIANS THAT WERE STANDING AROUND. THEY WERE ABLE TO LIFT PART OF THAT HELICOPTER OUT AND GET THAT VICTIM OUT, SO WE COULD GET THEM LOADED INTO THE BACK OF AN AMBULANCE AND TRANSPORTED OFF SCENE. AND SO WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT THOSE VICTIMS WERE TRANSPORTED TO AREA HOSPITALS. THEY DID NOT SEND THEM TO UC DAVIS BECAUSE THEY DID NOT WANT TO OVERWHELM THE HOSPITAL WITH THREE CRITICAL PATIENTS. WE DO KNOW THAT THEY’RE IN CRITICAL CONDITION AS FAR AS HOW SEVERE THAT IS, BUT WE JUST KNOW THAT THEY’RE IN CRITICAL CONDITION. THEY’VE BEEN SENT TO OTHER AREA HOSPITALS. AGAIN, RIGHT BEHIND ME IS STILL AN INSANE SIGHT TO SEE HERE ON A MONDAY NIGHT. OF COURSE, THAT HELICOPTER RIGHT THERE IN THE DISTANCE, AS INVESTIGATORS ARE STILL TRYING TO COMB THIS AREA. AND OF COURSE, THEY CAN’T REALLY TOUCH A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS EITHER, BECAUSE THIS IS A MASSIVE INVESTIGATION THAT’S GOING TO BE DONE WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES THAT NEED TO GET INVOLVED AS WELL. AND THERE IS NO TIMELINE OF WHEN THE HIGHWAY WILL REOPEN. OF COURSE, WE’VE ASKED THAT TO CHP AGAIN WHEN THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HAPPEN. AS OF RIGHT NOW, THEY’RE KIND OF MAINLY FOCUSED ON TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THAT HELICOPTER CRASHED HERE ON THOSE EASTBOUND LANES OF HIGHWAY 50. SO, ANDRES, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE’S NO ESTIMATE FOR WHEN THAT STRETCH OF THE ROAD WILL REOPEN, BUT WE KNOW IT’S A REALLY COMPLEX SENIOR. YOU HAVE INVESTIGATORS, YOU HAVE THE TRAFFIC BACKUP. HOW IS THAT CLEANUP LOOKING RIGHT NOW? IS IT STILL IN THE INVESTIGATION PHASE RIGHT NOW? VERY MUCH STILL IN THE INVESTIGATION PHASE. ANDREA, WE’RE NOT EVEN REALLY. THEY CAN’T REALLY TOUCH ANYTHING. I WAS TALKING TO CHP. I WAS TALKING TO OTHER PEOPLE THAT, LIKE, THEY REALLY JUST HAVE TO FIGURE OUT, TAKE AS MANY PHOTOS. THEY CAN’T TOUCH ANY DEBRIS BECAUSE IT’S GOING TO MESS UP WITH THAT INVESTIGATION. THAT’S WHY THEY HAD THOSE CARS THAT WERE STUCK ON THOSE EASTBOUND LANES TURN AROUND. SO THEY CLOSED THE HIGHWAY COMPLETELY. THEY MADE PEOPLE GET OFF THE OFF RAMP AT STOCKTON BOULEVARD, GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION, BECAUSE THEY CAN’T HAVE ANY OTHER CARS OR ANY OTHER PEOPLE INTERFERING IN THIS AREA. WE’VE ACTUALLY EVEN SEEN PEOPLE TRY TO SCALE THE THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY JUST TO GET A BETTER LOOK, AND THEY’VE TURNED PEOPLE AWAY BECAUSE, AGAIN, THIS IS A VERY ACTIVE INVESTIGATION THAT THEY WANT TO HAVE. NO CONTAMINANTS, CONTAIN CONTAMINANTS. I GUESS I WOULD SAY, OF PEOPLE MESSING UP THIS INVESTIGATION. ALL RIGHT, ANDRES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND WE DID PULL THE FLIGHT RECORDS FOR THIS REACH MEDICAL HELICOPTER. AND IT SHOWS A MOST RECENTLY LEFT REDDING THAT 505 LANDING AT THE RED BLUFF AIRPORT AT 517. IT THEN TOOK OFF FROM RED BLUFF AT 550, LANDING AT THE UC DAVIS MEDICAL CENTER 46 MINUTES LATER AT 636. AND WE DO SEE IT TOOK OFF FROM THE UC DAVIS MEDICAL CENTER RIGHT AROUND 705 TONIGHT, AND IT QUICKLY DISAPPEARED FROM THE RADAR RIGHT ABOVE HIGHWAY 50. AND FIREFIGHTERS GOT THE CALL AT 708. AND TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. THIS IS EXCLUSIVE VIDEO FROM LIVECOPTER3. CARS STUCK IN THAT BACKUP. ANDRES WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT THIS. THOSE CARS BEING FORCED TO DRIVE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY. YOU CAN SEE THAT HERE. THEY WERE DRIVING OFF THE ON RAMP TO STOCKTON BOULEVARD. SO IF YOU DRIVE THROUGH THAT STRETCH, YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT KIND OF SCENE THEY’RE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW. AND OUR TEAM COVERAGE CONTINUES WITH KCRA 3’S. CAROLINA ESTRADA LIVE ALONG HIGHWAY 50. AND SHE SPOKE WITH WITNESSES AND ONE OF THE BYSTANDERS WHO JUMPED IN TO HELP RESCUE THAT PERSON PINNED IN THAT HELICOPTER. CATALINA. CURTIS. AND THEY DESCRIBE THE MOMENTS OF SEEING THAT HELICOPTER COMING TOWARDS THEM AS TERRIFYING THAN BEING IN DISBELIEF WHEN THEY SAW IT CRASH ON HIGHWAY 50, BUT THEN NOT DOUBTING WHEN THEY NEEDED TO JUMP IN TO HELP. BUT FIRST, I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT WE’RE SEEING OUT HERE LIVE. NOW. WE ARE IN THE INVESTIGATION PART OF THIS INCIDENT. YOU CAN STILL SEE THAT HELICOPTER HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY 50. I COUNTED AROUND 15 INVESTIGATORS AND OFFICERS OUT HERE WORKING THERE PHOTOGRAPHING THE SCENE. THEY’RE SCANNING IT. YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THOSE LIGHTS SET UP THAT PERIMETER AROUND THE HELICOPTER FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO DO THEIR JOB CORRECTLY RIGHT NOW, AND JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF DEBRIS. BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE TOOLS THAT YOU CAN IMAGINE. A MEDICAL HELICOPTER IS EQUIPPED WITH. WE CAN SEE A LOT OF THOSE JUST SCATTERED AROUND HIGHWAY 50. AND THIS IS REALLY A SCENE THAT YOU NEVER IMAGINED YOU’RE GOING TO SEE. WE CAN ALSO SEE OVER ON THIS SIDE, I WANT TO POINT TO ONE OF THE DOORS OF THE HELICOPTER THAT WE CAN SEE HERE. CLOSER TO THIS SIDE WHERE WE’RE STANDING, AND REALLY WHAT PEOPLE TELL US IS THEY WERE IN DISBELIEF. WE SPOKE TO A MAN WHO SAW THAT HELICOPTER COMING TOWARDS HIM, AS HIM AND HIS WIFE WERE STUCK IN TRAFFIC. TAKE A LISTEN. IT WAS VIOLENTLY SHAKING THAT THE HELICOPTER ITSELF, THE LANDING GEAR UNDERNEATH THE HELICOPTER ITSELF WAS SHAKING LIKE RATTLING IN THE AIR. SO I KNEW SOMETHING WAS OFF AS IT WAS APPROACHING VERY LOW. I WAS SCREAMING TO MY WIFE, I GO, THIS THING’S COMING DOWN, IT’S GOING DOWN, IT’S GOING DOWN, IT’S GOING DOWN. SURE ENOUGH, IT HIT HIGHWAY 50. AND AFTER THAT, AFTER THAT, WE SAW LOTS OF SMOKE. IT TOOK QUITE A WHILE FOR THAT ENGINE TO, LIKE, WIND DOWN OR EVENTUALLY JUST SHUT OFF. BUT IN THOSE 2 TO 3 MINUTES, IT WAS. THERE WAS A LOT OF SMOKE THAT WAS ENTERING HIGHWAY 50. AND HE SAID IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE. AND HIGHWAY 50 WAS PACKED WITH DRIVERS IN THAT MOMENT WHO WITNESSED THE SAME THING. WE SAW THAT PLUME OF SMOKE AND SOME OF THE PICTURES. THERE WAS A LOT OF VEHICLES AT A STOP HERE BECAUSE THERE WAS ANOTHER INCIDENT HAPPENING, BUT THEY TELL US THAT AS THEY WERE IN THEIR VEHICLE WAITING, WE SPOKE TO A WOMAN WHO SAID WHEN THAT CRASH HAPPENED, NO ONE DOUBTED AND A LOT OF PEOPLE RAN TO HELP. SHE WAS ONE OF THE 15 PEOPLE TO HELP LIFT THAT HELICOPTER UP, TO GET THAT PERSON. THAT WAS PINNED. TAKE A LISTEN. IT JUST PLUMMETED OUT OF THE SKY AND IT HIT HARD, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE IT WAS FALLING. AND THEN JUST INSTANTANEOUS BLACK SMOKE EVERYWHERE JUST ENGULFED THE WHOLE THING. AS SOON AS I SAW THAT EVERYBODY WAS MOVING, THE TRYING TO PUSH THE HELICOPTER UP TO GET HELP, THE FIRST RESPONDERS GET TO THE, THE, THE PASSENGER, I JUST RAN OVER AND GOT IN ONLINE IN, IN, IN THE LINE OF PEOPLE AND WAS JUST HELP PUSHING IT AS MUCH AS I COULD. AND THEN AND THEN WE HELD IT FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. SO THE, THE FIRST RESPONDER COULD GET THE PERSON OUT. AND SHE SAYS THAT SHE’S STILL PROCESSING WHAT SHE LIVED THROUGH TODAY, BUT SHE WAS KIND ENOUGH TO SHARE THAT WITH US EARLIER TODAY. SO THERE WAS A LOT OF VEHICLES HERE. WE SHOWED YOU THAT TRAFFIC LESS THAN 30 MINUTES AGO. THEY HAVE NOW BEEN LET OFF OF HIGHWAY 50. THEY ACTUALLY MOVED THE BARRIERS OF THE FIXED 50 PROJECT. HERE. YOU CAN SEE THAT. AND THAT’S HOW THEY LET PEOPLE OFF. BUT REALLY JUST THE TAKEAWAY FROM WHAT WE HEARD TONIGHT FROM WITNESSES IS THAT DESPITE THE TRAGEDY AND THE MOMENTS OF CHAOS THAT THEY WERE SEEING WHEN THIS HELICOPTER CRASHED HERE ON HIGHWAY 50, NO ONE DOUBTED EVERYONE WAS READY TO JUMP IN AND HELP. AND IT JUST REALLY TELLS YOU AND SHOWS US HOW REALLY PEOPLE CAN COME TOGETHER AND, YOU KNOW, RESPOND TO A MOMENT LIKE THIS. LIVE IN SACRAMENTO, CAROLINA ESTRADA KCRA THREE NEWS. BACK TO YOU GUYS. AND CATALINA, YOU HAVE TO WONDER THE MINDSET. I MEAN, THIS HELICOPTER JUST TOOK OFF FROM THE UC DAVIS MEDICAL CENTER, HAS ALL THAT JET FUEL ON BOARD, AND THESE PEOPLE DID NOT HESITATE TO GO TOWARD THAT HELICOPTER, WHICH COULD HAVE EXPLODED ON THEM. I MEAN, THERE REALLY IS HEROISM TONIGHT. THERE IS CURTIS. AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS I ASKED HER. I SAID, YOU KNOW, WHAT GOES THROUGH YOUR MIND? AND SHE SAYS, REALLY NOTHING. IT’S JUST THE INSTINCT TO HELP. AND, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE’S IN THERE AND YOU WANT TO GET THEM OUT. YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE OKAY. THANKFULLY, NONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE STOPPED HERE WERE INJURED. BUT SHE SAYS SHE’S JUST GRATEFUL NO ONE WAS INJURED. AND SHE REALLY IS JUST PRAYING FOR THOSE PEOPLE IN THE HELICOPTER. AND SHE HOPES THAT THEY MAKE IT. BUT REALLY, WHAT YOU MENTIONED, TRUE HEROISM WE WITNESSED TODAY FROM THE PEOPLE THAT WERE JUST STOPPED HERE AT HIGHWAY 50. BACK TO YOU GUYS. YEAH, IT REALLY IS INCREDIBLE THAT NO ONE ON THE GROUND WAS HURT. CATALINA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE UPDATE. SO TONIGHT WE HAVE AN IDEA OF WHY THAT HELICOPTER, WHICH JUST TOOK OFF DID NOT EXPLODE INTO FLAMES, ACCORDING TO REACH, THIS CHOPPER, WHICH WAS MANUFACTURED IN 2021, HAD WHAT’S CALLED A CRASH RESISTANT FUEL SYSTEM ON IT. ESSENTIALLY, IT’S A FIRE EXTINGUISHER THAT KEEPS THE FUEL FROM EXPLODING. SOMETHING THE NTSB RECOMMENDED. AIRBUS CHOPPERS LIKE THIS ONE HAVE. AFTER TWO CRASHES IN 2015, PEOPLE SURVIVED THOSE CRASHES BUT DIED OF BURN INJURIES BECAUSE THE JET FUEL EXPLODED. VIDEO WE REVIEWED IN OUR NEWSROOM FROM RIGHT AFTER TONIGHT’S CRASH SHOWS WHAT APPEARS TO BE A FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM GOING OFF, AND WE WANT TO GO BACK OUT LIVE TO LIVECOPTER3. RIGHT NOW. YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THAT DEBRIS AND THAT INVESTIGATION THAT CONTINUES AS ANDRÉS AND CATALINA HAVE MENTIONED, THIS IS A MULTI-AGENCY INVESTIGATION THAT IS GOING TO CONTINUE NOW FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. SO THEY HAVE DIRECTED SOME OF THAT TRAFFIC OFF OF HIGHWAY 50. BUT WE KNOW AGAIN THAT THIS INVESTIGATION IS GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME. THEY’RE NOT ALLOWING ANYONE WITHIN THAT AREA BECAUSE OF THAT INVESTIGATION. SO COMBING THROUGH ALL OF THAT DEBRIS, TAKING PHOTOS, CONTINUING THAT INVESTIGATION INTO EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED HERE, AND WE KNOW THAT THIS WILL TAKE SOME TIME. SO YOU WILL WANT TO AVOID HIGHWAY 50 THROUGH THAT STRETCH ALONG STOCKTON BOULEVARD AS THIS INVESTIGATION CONTINUES. SO WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE MONITORING THIS. STAY WITH KCRA THREE AS WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CRASH. AND THE PEOPLE INVOLVED ARE BREAKING NEWS COVERAGE CONTINUES ON AIR AND ON OUR KCRA APP. AND ALL THROUGHOUT THE HOUR AS WE MONITOR THE SCENE AND THE INVESTIGATION INTO THI
Helicopter crash critically injures 3, shuts down Highway 50 in Sacramento
Updated: 10:40 PM PDT Oct 6, 2025
Crews are responding to a medical helicopter crash on Highway 50 on Monday night, according to the California Highway Patrol. CHP traffic logs indicate the crash was reported just after 7 p.m. on eastbound Highway 50 just east of Stockton Boulevard.Watch aerial video from LiveCopter 3 below:The Sacramento Fire Department said three people were in critical condition following the crash. There was no patient on board, the fire department said, but there was a pilot, nurse and paramedic on board.Sacramento Fire said one person was trapped under the helicopter after the crash. A group of around 15 bystanders rushed in to help first responders lift the helicopter off the trapped person, officials said. No other vehicles were hit by the helicopter or involved in the crash, officials said.Caltrans traffic cameras show a large amount of backups on Highway 50 due to the crash. The eastbound side of the highway is expected to be shut down for some time, and some lanes of westbound Highway 50 could be affected.Caltrans said the ramp from northbound Highway 99 to eastbound Highway 50 and the ramp from southbound Highway 51 to eastbound Highway 50 would also be shut down as the crash is cleared.Other photos from drivers showed a small plume of smoke rising from the area where the crash occurred, but Sacramento Fire said no fire sparked from the crash.Sacramento Councilmember Lisa Kaplan shared a photo of the crash, showing long traffic backups in the area.Reach Air Medical Services shared a statement on its social media following the crash:”We are aware of an accident involving a REACH Air Medical helicopter on Highway 50 in Sacramento this evening and are keeping all those impacted in our thoughts and prayers.We are in the process of determining the details of this situation, as well as the condition of the REACH crew involved, who were all taken to area hospitals. We will continue to provide information as it becomes available. There was no patient on board.We appreciate the concern and support from our community and will share updates when appropriate.” This is a developing story. Stay with KCRA 3 for the latest.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Crews are responding to a medical helicopter crash on Highway 50 on Monday night, according to the California Highway Patrol.
CHP traffic logs indicate the crash was reported just after 7 p.m. on eastbound Highway 50 just east of Stockton Boulevard.
Watch aerial video from LiveCopter 3 below:
This content is imported from YouTube.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
The Sacramento Fire Department said three people were in critical condition following the crash. There was no patient on board, the fire department said, but there was a pilot, nurse and paramedic on board.
Sacramento Fire said one person was trapped under the helicopter after the crash. A group of around 15 bystanders rushed in to help first responders lift the helicopter off the trapped person, officials said.
No other vehicles were hit by the helicopter or involved in the crash, officials said.
Caltrans traffic cameras show a large amount of backups on Highway 50 due to the crash. The eastbound side of the highway is expected to be shut down for some time, and some lanes of westbound Highway 50 could be affected.
Caltrans said the ramp from northbound Highway 99 to eastbound Highway 50 and the ramp from southbound Highway 51 to eastbound Highway 50 would also be shut down as the crash is cleared.
Other photos from drivers showed a small plume of smoke rising from the area where the crash occurred, but Sacramento Fire said no fire sparked from the crash.
Sacramento Councilmember Lisa Kaplan shared a photo of the crash, showing long traffic backups in the area.
Reach Air Medical Services shared a statement on its social media following the crash:
“We are aware of an accident involving a REACH Air Medical helicopter on Highway 50 in Sacramento this evening and are keeping all those impacted in our thoughts and prayers.
We are in the process of determining the details of this situation, as well as the condition of the REACH crew involved, who were all taken to area hospitals. We will continue to provide information as it becomes available.
There was no patient on board.
We appreciate the concern and support from our community and will share updates when appropriate.”
This is a developing story. Stay with KCRA 3 for the latest.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel