U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski suffered a serious knee injury while skiing and will be confined to a wheelchair for several days, her aide said Tuesday. The Alaska Republican tumbled as much as 300 feet at the Alyeska Ski Resort south of Anchorage, according to the ski patrol.

"I've been skiing all my life, and this was just one of those unfortunate accidents that can occur on the slopes on any given day," Murkowski said in a statement Tuesday.

The senator tore two ligaments and cartilage in her left knee and underwent an MRI exam in Washington on Tuesday, said her spokesman Mike Brumas.

"She's bruised and a little battered," he said. "Otherwise, she's OK."

Murkowski, 51, is an expert skier but she "lost her traction" while skiing Sunday on Alaska's Mount Alyeska, Brumas said.

Ben Habecker was among 28 patrol skiers on the mountain when he got a radio call from another patroller who witnessed the end of Murkowski's fall.

Murkowski had been skiing with two male companions on the second hardest of four difficulty levels when the accident occurred near the midway point of the 3,939-foot mountain, according to Habecker. Brumas said the three were part of a larger group of friends skiing Sunday.

Murkowski was out of Habecker's line of vision but very close by. Guided by the other patroller's directions, he reached her in about a minute after she came to rest.

"She was actually smiling. She was fine, said she hurt her knee," he said. "She looked embarrassed."

Murkowski was transported down the slope on a rescue toboggan, her leg in a splint.