No Serious Injuries In Anne Arundel Co. Helicopter Crash

(HANOVER, MD) – Three people on board a helicopter that crashed near BWI Airport are not reporting serious injuries, but have been taken as a precaution to a local hospital.

State and county police, as well as fire and rescue personnel remain on the scene of the crash and subsequent fire. The scene is in the area off Aviation Blvd., between the BWI MARC station and Old Stoney Run Road.

Calls came in to the county 911 center at 12:52 p.m. today reporting a possible aircraft crash near the train tracks not far from the BWI MARC station. County fire and rescue personnel responded as did police from Maryland State Police, Maryland Transportation Authority Police and Anne Arundel County Police.

Responding personnel found three people had been on-board the Bell 206 Jet Ranger helicopter. They are identified as the pilot, Owen J. Garnett, 42, of Montrose, PA, and two passengers, Kevin A. Tennis, 29, of Colora, MD, and Jordan M. Marsh, 34, of Monkton, MD. The three reported they were checking power lines in the area when the crash occurred.

None of the three on-board reported serious injuries. All three were transported by fire/EMS personnel to the Baltimore Washington Medical Center for evaluation as a precaution.

The helicopter went down in a wooded area near a stream. The aircraft caught fire and the fire spread to the surrounding brush in the area. Fire department personnel extinguished the fires.

The helicopter is owned by Sky River Helicopters of Pittstown, NJ.

Federal authorities at the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were notified of the crash. FAA officials are already on the scene.

The Maryland State Police will not speculate on the cause of the crash. The cause of the crash will be investigated and determined by federal authorities.

Maryland Department of Transportation officials state Amtrak and MARC service in the area may be interrupted or delayed until the on-scene investigation is complete and the helicopter is removed. Check mta.maryland.gov/advisories for the latest transit information.