Pilot in Highway 50 helicopter crash out of hospital to rehabilitation facility
The medevac pilot critically injured when his helicopter plunged onto Highway 50 moments after takeoff from UC Davis Medical Center is out of the hospital and in a rehabilitation facility three weeks after the Oct. 6 crash.
Chad Millward was released earlier this week, said officials at Reach Air Medical Services in an update to social media. Millward, flight nurse Susan Smith and paramedic Margaret “DeDe” Davis, 66, were aboard the Airbus helicopter as it lifted off for a return trip to their Redding base when the craft lost power and slammed onto the highway in early evening traffic. Davis, who also was critically injured in the crash, was released from the hospital last week and is recovering at a rehabilitation facility, Reach officials said.
“The outpouring of compassion and concern from our community has been a source of strength for all those affected by this month’s accident,” said the Reach Air statement. “We are deeply grateful to everyone who has kept our crew and their families in their thoughts and prayers during this challenging time.”
Millward, 60, a decorated retired California Highway Patrol pilot, managed to avoid the cars below as he crash-landed the craft, but Smith of Palo Cedro near Redding, a veteran of 50 years in nursing, the last 21 years at Reach, was trapped and grievously injured underneath the wreckage.
One of the enduring images of the dramatic ordeal was stalled motorists rushing from their cars to push the downed copter off of the trapped Smith to allow rescuers to free her.
Smith died of her injuries days later. Smith was 67. Reach officials honored the fallen nurse in the statement.
“As we celebrate the ongoing progress of Chad and DeDe, we also honor the memory of Susan ‘Suzie’ Smith and recognize her remarkable contributions to our community,” the statement read.
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