The National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary findings point to a likely medical emergency involving the pilot as the cause of last year’s Vanderbilt LifeFlight helicopter crash in Lebanon, Tennessee. The crash, which occurred on Nov. 8 around 1:41 p.m. along Cairo Bend Road, claimed the life of flight nurse Allan Williams and left flight paramedic Andrew “Andy” Sikes and the pilot with serious injuries.
The aircraft, an Airbus Helicopter, had taken off from the Vanderbilt LifeFlight base in Gallatin at approximately 1:34 p.m., en route to Rutherford County on a medical call. But just minutes into the flight, the request for service was canceled. That’s when things took a sudden and tragic turn.
According to preliminary FAA data, the helicopter made a 180-degree turn back toward Gallatin shortly after the cancellation. At 1:39 p.m., the last radio transmission was received: “Aircom…LF1…we have a medical emergency onboard with our pilot…uh were gonna…we will advise.”
In a post-accident interview conducted by the NTSB, Sikes described the harrowing moments that followed. After the mission was called off, Sikes noticed something wasn’t right.
The pilot wasn’t responding-no acknowledgment, no movements, nothing. That silence was a red flag.
Sikes leaned forward and tapped the pilot on the shoulder, but still got no response.
What he saw next was chilling: the pilot staring blankly ahead, eyes open but unresponsive-no emotion, no recognition. Sikes said it was as if the pilot was trying to interact with the GPS or autopilot, but couldn’t quite make contact with the controls.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Sikes unbuckled himself and checked the autopilot. It wasn’t engaged.
With only a basic understanding of helicopter controls-knowledge picked up from years of watching pilots in action-he stepped into an unthinkable role. He maneuvered around the incapacitated pilot, working to slow the aircraft and stabilize it at level altitude.
As the helicopter descended, Sikes and Williams tried to guide the pilot, pointing out farmland as a potential landing spot. According to the report, the only clear response they got from the pilot came when he acknowledged their direction, pointing to a more open field and saying, “there, no there…”
With seconds to spare, Sikes leaned over the console and attempted to bring the aircraft down. As they approached the field, the helicopter clipped the tops of trees.
Then, roughly 10 to 20 feet above the ground, Sikes executed a hard flare in an effort to soften the landing. The helicopter hit the ground and rolled onto its left side.
Miraculously, despite the impact, the helicopter’s major components remained intact. The NTSB’s early findings indicate there was no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction prior to the crash.
While the full investigation is still ongoing and the final report is expected later this year, the early signs point to the pilot’s medical emergency as the central factor in the crash.
In a statement, LifeFlight spokesperson Kylie Avery emphasized the program’s longstanding commitment to safety:
“Since the program’s inception more than four decades ago, Vanderbilt LifeFlight has kept safety as its highest priority. The clinical crews from VUMC and flight crews from Air Methods are highly trained and experienced in an air-medical environment, and we are continuing to collaborate with the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board as part of the program’s ongoing commitment to safety.”
This incident underscores just how critical every second can be in the air-and how the training, instincts, and calm under pressure of crew members like Andy Sikes can make all the difference.