A Vanderbilt University Medical Center LifeFlight helicopter crash in Wilson County, TN, has resulted in the death of at least one person, as well as two other serious injuries. The flight crashed mid-afternoon, shortly after takeoff from a helipad near the Music City Executive Airport in Gallatin. The two survivors remain in critical condition, and the accident is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

LifeFlight Crash Leads to One Death, Two Critical Injuries

The helicopter was owned and operated by Air Methods LLC for the benefit of Vanderbilt University Medical Center.  The aircraft was a 2015 Eurocopter EC 130T2 (Airbus Helicopters H130). It took off around 2:00 PM on Saturday, November 8, 2025. Preliminary ADS-B radar data shows that the helicopter proceeded south to an inflight altitude of 4,100 feet.  About five minutes into the flight, the helicopter entered a 180-degree turn back towards the airport. Two minutes later, the helicopter was 1.90 miles south of the airport when it entered a descending right-hand turn towards an open field. The helicopter struck the top of a tree and impacted terrain. There was no post-crash fire. The helicopter went down in an unpopulated area near Cairo Bend Road in Wilson County. One person on board was killed in the accident, while the two others on board were critically injured and transported to the nearby hospital for treatment.

 

Possible Causes of the Crash

While the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is in the process of investigating the crash, the cause of the accident is currently unknown. Some possible factors that may have contributed to the accident are less than ideal flying conditions, with the area having experienced inclement weather, including rain and fog, in the days prior to the crash. It is also possible that there may have been a serious mechanical failure, such as a defective part or improper maintenance, that led to the crash. However, only a full investigation can determine the exact cause, and all this information is only speculation at present.

What Happens Now

The NTSB will investigate the crash, including interviewing the survivors, examining the body of the helicopter, and looking over the scene of the accident. They will also conduct an autopsy on the deceased to learn more about his death, before returning his remains to his loved ones for burial. A preliminary report will be out in a few weeks, with the full investigation to be completed within eighteen months.