Service in Susanville Friday for helicopter crew

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SUSANVILLE, Calif. (AP) - A memorial service is planned in Susanville Friday for the crew of a medical helicopter killed in a crash early Saturday morning about 25 miles north of Reno.

All three crew members on board worked for Mountain Lifeflight Air Medical based in Susanville.

They had just transported a patient to a Reno hospital when they crashed about 2 a.m. near the Nevada-California line about a half mile west of U.S. Highway 395.

Investigators don't know what caused the crash. They say the pilot issued a mayday moments before the aircraft went down.

The victims were identified as 39-year-old pilot James Bradshaw, 40-year-old flight nurse Clinton Reger and 37-year-old paramedic Christopher Ritz.

The service is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Susanville Municipal Airport's Mountain Lifeflight hangar.

Bradshaw's family lives in Carson City.