Four die in MSP medevac crash

Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008

The deceased victims are identified as Stephen J. Bunker, 59, of Waldorf, the State Police pilot; Trooper First Class Mickey C. Lippy, 34, of Westminster, the State Police flight paramedic; Tanya Mallard, 39, of Waldorf, an EMT-B with the Waldorf Volunteer Rescue Squad; and Ashley J. Younger, 17, of Waldorf, who was a patient being transported.

The surviving victim of the crash is identified as Jordan A. Wells, 18, of Waldorf. Wells is currently undergoing treatment at the Prince George's Hospital Center in Cheverly.

At about 11 p.m. Saturday, Maryland State Police medevac helicopter, Trooper 2, was dispatched to the scene of a traffic crash in Waldorf. Trooper 2 left its hangar at the Andrews Air Force Base. It was piloted by Bunker and the flight paramedic Lippy.

The crew flew to the crash scene and picked up two patients, Younger and Wells. Joining the crew to assist with medical care on the flight to the hospital was Mallard, who had responded to the scene with the Waldorf rescue squad.

Trooper 2 lifted off and headed to the Prince George's hospital. No call came from the helicopter crew notifying helicopter dispatch that they had landed.

Just before 12:30 a.m. Sunday, the state police Forestville barrack, the Prince George's County Police, Prince George's County Sheriff's Office and the Prince George's County Fire Department launched a search for the helicopter. Flight following equipment was used to locate the region of the crash. The crash site was found by police officers on foot shortly before 2 a.m. Sunday. The crash site is in a wooded area within the Walker Mill Regional Park, in the 8000-block of Walker Mill Road in Forestville.

The four deceased victims were pronounced dead at the scene. The surviving victim was transported by ambulance to the Prince George's Hospital Center.

Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration were notified and are on the scene. Maryland State Police investigators are also on the scene and are providing any assistance necessary to the federal investigators.

Pilot Bunker had been with the Maryland State Police since 1972. He was a State Police corporal, who retired in 1998 and returned to service as a civilian pilot. He had flown for the Maryland State Police for more than 24 years. He was married and had three grown children. Mr. Bunker held a commercial pilot's license and was a certified flight instructor and a certified instrument flight instructor. He also had a single engine airplane pilot's license.

Lippy was appointed to the Maryland State Police four years ago. He had been in the Aviation Command as a flight paramedic for since April of 2007. Lippy was married. He had recently returned from family leave after the birth of his daughter, who is 4 months old.

Mallard was a member of the Waldorf Rescue Squad at Station 12. She did not hesitate to join the crew of Trooper 2 this morning in their effort to save the lives of their two patients, MSP reported. She leaves behind her husband and two children.

The aircraft was a Eurocopter Dauphin II twin jet engine helicopter. It became a part of the State Police fleet in June 1989, and was the second helicopter purchased in the current fleet. The helicopter completed a 100-hour inspection Sept. 24.

The State Police Aviation Command has grounded all aircraft for at least today.