Author Topic: Close to home...  (Read 2443 times)

Offline undatc

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Close to home...
« on: May 10, 2009, 09:00:58 AM »
I hate to post stuff about accidents, but this comes very close to home, about a block away actually.

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/44643757.html

Quote
BUCKLEY, Wash. - One person was injured when an experimental helicopter crashed Saturday afternoon during a private air show.

Medics and emergency personnel responded to the crash, at a small air strip near 252nd Street East and 112th Street East, at about 1:30 p.m.

Russ McCallion, assistant fire chief for East Pierce Fire & Rescue, said the copter was hovering above the air strip, not far above the ground.

He said the copter pilot thought a small plane was approaching and moved to avoid it. As he did so, the spinning rotor slammed into the ground and the helicopter flipped.

Witnesses said a man jumped from the helicopter and waved, indicating he was not hurt. He refused treatment at the scene.

A woman inside the helicopter was treated at the scene by medics from East Pierce Fire & Rescue, then taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

As I was heading in today for my shift, about 8 fire trucks/med cars passed me and I wondered to myself, "wow wonder where they are all going".  Got to work and a guy on my crew told me there was a helicopter crash at South Prairie airport (private grass strip), and made the connection.

This airport and the fly ins they have there is probably what is responsible for my love of aviation.  The downwind for the pattern is right over my street and I can remember as a kid watching lots of old military trainers, biplanes, and a whole bunch of other assorted guys went in and out of that strip.

Glad to see everyone made it out ok.
-the content of the previous post does not represent the opinions of the FAA or NATCA, and is my own personal opinion...

Offline Gulfstream Driver

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Re: Close to home...
« Reply #1 on: May 11, 2009, 04:55:11 PM »
Wow.
Behind every great man, there is a woman rolling her eyes.  --Bruce Almighty