Funeral information has been released for a medical helicopter pilot who died in a crash last week.
A visitation will be held for Michael Murphy, 37, of Franklinville, New Jersey on Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Christ the Redeemer Parish/Assumption Church on 318 Carl Hasselhan Drive in Atco, New Jersey. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 12 p.m.
Murphy died Thursday after his medical helicopter crashed behind a postal facility in a Delaware industrial park. The Eurocopter EC135, registered to the University of Pennsylvania, crashed just before noon about 1 mile (1.5 kilometers) southeast of New Castle Airport.
Delaware State Police spokesman Cpl. Jeffrey Hale said the helicopter crashed into a ditch behind a U.S. Post office facility, causing minor damage to an outbuilding and vehicles parked behind the building.
James Salmon, a spokesman for the airport's operator, Delaware River and Bay Authority, said the helicopter was not engaged in life-saving operations at the time of the crash.
Murphy had flown from the Atlantic City Airport and was conducting approach training in the area of the New Castle Airport, according to officials.
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Susan Phillips, a spokeswoman for Penn Medicine, said in a prepared statement that the helicopter was operated by Metro Aviation, which provides aviation services for PennStar, the air transportation service for the University of Pennsylvania Health System.
"The pilot of the helicopter was conducting a training flight. No patients or Penn Medicine employees were on board," Phillips said.
Murphy is survived by a wife and two-year-old son. His wife is also pregnant with a soon to be baby boy. In addition to being a medical helicopter pilot, Murphy also served as a back-up pilot of SkyForce10 for NBC10 and Telemundo62.
The NTSB continues to investigate the crash.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the Murphy children's college fund. Please make checks out to Erika Murphy, c/o LeRoy P. Wooster Funeral Home & Crematory, 441 White Horse Pike, Atco, NJ 08004.
