ABC2 News airs tapes from fatal MedEvac crash

“I gotta tell you, I am astounded to hear the confusion over where that aircraft was located,” State Sen. John Astle, D-Dist. 30, said after hearing the dispatch tapes.

The news station reports that “The tape starts out with Charles County requesting a medevac chopper to transport accident victims Jordan Wells and Ashley Younger.

“(Syscom): ‘Ok we’re very call by call due to weather.  We’ll have to check.  Give me a map page and town.’ “Even from the get-go, there is concern about this mission.  It was rainy that night….foggy.

“Charles County asked for patients Jordan Wells and Ashley younger to be medevaced.  They are ‘very stable,’  but by the old guidelines the two young women were an automatic fly out.

“The call to fly ultimately lied in the capable hands of pilot Stephen Bunker who you can hear is concerned about the weather.

“(Syscom) ‘up to you man…can you fly?’ (Bunker) ‘C
ollege Park
is at 810.  Well I just heard Medstar so if they can do it we can do it.’  “(Syscom) ‘OK, it is up to you’.  (Bunker) ‘Yeah, we ought to be able to do it.’ ”

The station will air the the audio tapes during broadcasts tonight at 5, 6 and 11 p.m.

Click here to read the ABC2’s story of the crash and a transcript of the audio tape released by the National Transportation Safety Board.