Marion County - Officials with the National Park Service say an OH-58 helicopter flown by the Arkansas National Guard crashed into the Buffalo River in Marion County Thursday afternoon, seriously injuring one crew member.

Authorities say the aircraft went down near the Marion and Searcy County lines around 1:22 p.m.

According to Caven Clark, spokesman for the National Park Service, the aircraft--based at Camp Robinson in North Little Rock--was traveling between Flippin and Clinton with three people on board, when it "experienced mechanical failure, losing power and autorotated into the Buffalo River."

Clark says the National Park Service, Arkansas State Police, Marion County Sheriff, and Ralph Caney Fire Department were on scene shortly after the crash.

Arkansas State Police spokesman Bill Sadler confirmed that one of the people on board the aircraft was Special Agent Kevin Brown, assigned to the department's Criminal Investigation Division. Sadler said Brown was transported to a Baxter County hospital for examination, and is believed to be in good condition.

In a statement released Thursday afternoon, Sadler said "The helicopter was being used in a mission associated with an on-going criminal investigation."

The Buffalo River from the Highway 14 bridge to Buffalo Point remained closed to river trafficThursday afternoon. The gravel bar and parking lot at Buffalo Point will be closed until further notice.

Clark said there was little potential for a fuel spill in the river since the chopper was equipped with a self-sealing fuel system.

The National Guard dispatched a team to the crash site to secure the scene and begin the investigation.

Raw Video: Crash Scene

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