According to hospital officials, the Med Flight helicopter left Madison on Saturday night with the mission to drop off a patient at the Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse. It then departed at around 10:30 p.m. and from that point on there was no further communication received from the crew.

The helicopter was found close to 8:30 a.m. at about four miles away from the airport. All the people on board, pilot Steve Lipperer, surgeon Darren Bean and nurse Mark Coyne were killed in the incident.

Until the official investigation will be completed, the reason for the crash remains uncertain, but the general belief is that the aircraft, an American Eurocopter EC 13 leased from Air Methods, struck a hill or some trees and was unable to resume its flight. The Air Methods company will conduct its investigation alongside the Federal Aviation Administration and details about the crash are expected in the near future.

In order to avoid further aggravation, the other Med Flight helicopter belonging to the university hospital has been grounded for an indefinite period of time.  

The families of the victims were immediately informed about the tragic accident.