Governor orders flags at half-staff today in honor of medical helicopter crew killed in crash


Gov. Andy Beshear has ordered flags at all state buildings to be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset Saturday, Oct. 12, in honor of a medical helicopter crew killed Oct. 7 in a crash in Owenton.

An Air Evac Lifeteam crew consisting of

• Pilot Gale “Butch” Alleman Jr., 66, for whom services will be held in his home stae of Michigan at a later date.

• Flight nurse Bethany Aicken, 40, for whos a memorial service takes place today at Hardy Funeral Home in Louisvile; and

• Flight paramedic James Welsh, 29, for whom a funeral service is scheduled today at Immanuel Baptist Church in Cold Springs.

The flight team was on the way to pick up a patient when, according to an initial investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration, their helicopter struck a guy wire and crashed.

All three members of the crew, based out of Grant County, died in the accident.

Flight nurse Bethany Aicken, Pilot Gale ‘Butch’ Alleman, Paramedic James Welsh (Photo courtesy of Grant County Constable’s Office)

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