The crew of a medical helicopter that crashed on Highway 50 in Sacramento may have survived thanks to the pilot's skill and the aircraft's modern safety design, an aviation expert said.

Captain Augustine Joseph, an aviation expert and instructor at Sacramento Executive Airport, said that likely made all the difference.

Video from the scene shows the REACH Air Medical helicopter crashing onto the highway just moments after taking off from UC Davis Medical Center, less than half a mile away. While smoke was visible coming from the wreckage, there was no noticeable fire or explosion.

"A lot of safety systems have been incorporated into modern helicopters," Joseph said. "That's one of the possible reasons there wasn't a fire. One of the leading causes of fatal crashes is burns."

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