Medical helicopter carrying 3 crashes in Wis.

MADISON, Wis. -- A medical helicopter on a return flight after dropping off a patient crashed after takeoff, killing the surgeon, nurse and pilot aboard, officials said Sunday.

The University of Wisconsin Hospital Med Flight helicopter was returning to Madison on Saturday night from the Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse when it crashed, UW Hospital spokesman Aaron Conklin said.

The helicopter left Madison around 8:30 p.m. Saturday night to drop off a patient at the La Crosse hospital and departed the airport there at about 10:30 p.m., UW Hospital chief operating officer Margaret Van Bree said.

"No further communication was received from the crew," she said.

The helicopter was found about four miles from the airport around 8:40 a.m. Sunday, Van Bree said.

Preliminary reports indicate the helicopter may have struck a hill or some trees but the exact cause is not yet known, Van Bree said. Killed in the crash were surgeon Darren Bean, nurse Mark Coyne and pilot Steve Lipperer, she said.

The aircraft was an American Eurocopter EC13 leased from Air Methods within the past year, she said.

The other Med Flight helicopter that serves the university hospital system has been grounded, Conklin said.