A Vanderbilt LifeFlight medical helicopter crashed on Saturday afternoon near Lebanon, Tennessee, killing one crew member and leaving two others critically injured, authorities said.

The crash occurred around 2:30 p.m. near the 7100 block of Cairo Bend Road in Wilson County. The helicopter, an Airbus EC130T2, went down in a field shortly after takeoff, according to local officials. There were no patients on board at the time.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center confirmed that all three people on board were members of the LifeFlight crew. “Tragically, one crew member lost their life, and two others are in critical condition and receiving treatment at Vanderbilt University Hospital,” the center said in a statement Saturday evening.

Emergency responders from the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office, Lebanon Fire Department, and local EMS units rushed to the scene. The aircraft did not catch fire, but sustained significant damage upon impact.

Eyewitnesses reported hearing the helicopter lose altitude before crashing. “It came down fast and hit hard — it was terrifying,” one resident told local media.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched a joint investigation into the cause of the crash. Preliminary reports suggest that the helicopter may have clipped treetops before going down, though officials said it is too early to determine what led to the accident.

Authorities have not yet released the name of the deceased crew member pending family notification.

Vanderbilt LifeFlight, which operates multiple aircraft across Tennessee and neighboring states, has been providing emergency air transport for more than 40 years. The service temporarily suspended flight operations following the crash as investigators examined the wreckage and reviewed safety procedures.

Local officials have urged the public to avoid the area while the investigation continues. The NTSB said a preliminary report will be released in the coming days. (ILKHA)