The Oneida County Sheriff’s Department has released the names of the three men who died when their medical helicopter crashed late Thursday night, April 24th in the town of Hazelhurst. The occupants of the Ascension Spirit Air helicopter were identified as Air Methods pilot, Rico Caruso, 34, of Hazelhurst; and medical personnel, Gregory Rosenthal, 43, of Mosinee, and Klint Mitchell, 30, of Watersmeet, MI.
The Eurocopter AS350 B2 was returning to its Woodruff base after dropping off a patient in Madison, according to a spokesman from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Air Methods, which operates medical air services for Ascension, lost contact with the aircraft at 10:43 p.m. They notified the Oneida County Sheriff’s Department at 11:22 p.m. of a possible downed aircraft. A multi-agency search found the crashed helicopter a couple of hours later in a wooded area southeast of Hazelhurst. All three men had perished upon impact, according to reports. There was no patient on board at the time.
The NTSB and the Federal Aviation Administration are conducting the accident investigation. A preliminary report is expected within a couple of weeks.
The Howard Young Foundation has established a “Helping Hands” fund for the families of the three men. To donate, visit the foundation’s website at howardyoungfoundation.org or call the office at 715-439-4005. Donations can also be mailed to Howard Young Foundation, P.O. Bo 470, Woodruff, WI 54568. Make checks payable to Howard Young Foundation – Spirit. All donations will be earmarked for the families.
“The outpouring of support from our Ascension and Air Methods families, first responders and the community has been significant and greatly appreciated,” said Tom Weaver, spokesman for Ascension Wisconsin. “We would like to thank the dedicated emergency response professionals in our community who have been responding to this incident, as well as our community and friends who have reached out with their support both locally and across the country. “A remembrance banner has been placed near the recently constructed entrance to the Howard Young Medical Center campus along Highway 51,” Weaver said. “ We have established this new tribute area with the intent of providing the proper balance of tribute with the needs to safely operate our facilities. Given the regional impact of our medical transportation operations, similar areas are being planned for other facilities in the area.
Weaver said that after mobilizing a variety of resources, Ascension Wisconsin Spirit Medical Transportation has resumed operation of its ground units for inter-facility transport. “The Ascension Wisconsin Spirit Air Medical services remain grounded and we continue to work with our local EMS partners and transportation colleagues within the region to ensure patient transport needs.”
