A Mercy Flight helicopter crashed during a training flight the afternoon of Tuesday, April 26, in Elba, Genesee County, killing both people on board, according to New York State Police. The flight took off nearly two hours earlier from Genesee County Airport in Batavia, approximately three miles from the crash site.
Mercy Flight pilot James E. Sauer, 60, of Churchville, and Bell Helicopter flight instructor Stewart M. Dietrick, 60, of Prosper, Texas were both pronounced dead at the scene, according to State Police.
On Wednesday, the National Transportation Safety Board said multiple witnesses heard a boom before the crash. It was determined that the tail of the helicopter separated from the aircraft and the tail rudder was found approximately 300 yards away from the main crash site.
The cause of the crash is under investigation. After a three to five day on scene investigation, the wreckage will be transported to Delaware for further analysis. A preliminary report is expected within two weeks, but a full report will take months to complete.
James Sauer started working for Mercy Flight in October 2020 and was a retired Army and National Guard aviator and New York State Police civilian pilot. He also served with the Rochester Police Department from 1993 until 2001.
“We are heartbroken at the loss of Officer Sauer, who served a lifetime of dedication to public service,” RPD Lt. Greg Bello said in a statement. “He is truly a hero to the Greater Rochester Community.”
Westside News ran a feature on Sauer in 2020 as he capped his 40-year military career (https://westsidenewsny.com/
features/2020-09-07/churchville-aviator-celebrated-with-military-final-flight-to-cap-40-year-career/). At that time he had logged over 6,100 hours in the air.
Sauer began his military career in 1979. He was in basic training when the American Embassy in Tehran was invaded that year, and recalled how the mood of training changed to prepare for potential war. He said, “For a young guy from Churchville, I wanted adventure, but it seemed like I bit off more than I could chew!”
He spoke about memorable missions doing counter-drug operations in the Bahamas, humanitarian support in Somalia, and being part of Task Force ODIN in Afghanistan.“Being able to assist our troops that were in the fight against Taliban forces really gave me a sense of accomplishment,” Sauer said.
A member of Open Door Baptist Church in Chili, Sauer was a man of deep faith. “I’ve had a long and wonderful career in aviation, but there have been many times I’ve been afraid of events. Being separated for months on end from my family took a toll. I’ve missed so much of my kids growing up where my wife had to take care of things in my absence. But my love and faith in Jesus Christ has seen me through,” he said.
The Spencerport Fire District posted photos on Twitter of Sauer talking to students at their summer youth fire camp last summer as a representative of Mercy Flight. In the post, SFD said they were better for knowing him.
Funeral arrangements for Mr. Sauer had not been announced at press time.
Mercy Flight Executive Vice President Scott Wooton said in a statement on Tuesday that, “Mercy Flight has temporarily suspended operations in order to allow time for our employees to process the event, and to ensure the complete safe mechanical operation of our other helicopters pending a preliminary accident team investigation.”
“It goes without saying that our attention needs to be focused on the families of those lost and on our own employees as we deal with this unspeakable tragedy,” Margaret Ferrentino, Mercy Flight’s President said. “This is a very dark day for the Mercy Flight family. We are so grateful for the expressions of love, concern and support expressed by many.”
Mercy Flight EMS is a not-for-profit medical transport service that services western New York, including the Rochester region, as well as parts of northwestern Pennsylvania and Canada.
