That nearly WAS last orders: Pilot escapes with minor injuries after helicopter crashes next to village pub
By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 7:20 PM on 25th May 2010
A pilot had a miracle escape after he lost control of his helicopter and flew into power lines before crashing in a field just yards from a village pub
The man was flying low over Poundsgate, near Newton Abbott, Devon when he was heard careering into a series of overheard electric cables.
Onlookers heard a loud bang as the helicopter touched the power lines which ripped the rotors off.
The Hughes 500 came hurtling down into a field in a shower of sparks with fuel leaking from the tank.
The crashed helicopter lies in a field near Newton Abbott after its pilot hit power cables. Miraculously nobody was seriously hurt in the crash
But incredibly the pilot was able to scramble free from the wreckage and was airlifted to hospital with minor injuries after the accident early yesterday evening.
June Hamill, landlady of the local Tavistock Inn, said: 'I heard a helicopter come across and it was a bit low and hit the power cables and disintegrated.
'It was a big bang and as it hit the power cables the rotaries came off and landed everywhere, and the helicopter just tipped into the field.
'The paramedics pulled him out and saw to his wounds, then the air ambulance, fire engines and police cars all came up soon afterwards.
The stricken helicopter can be seen in the field, circled, just yards from the Tavistock Inn in Poundsgate, Devon
'He had a big cut on his head and other cuts but he was sitting in a chair and they kept him talking.'
The pilot, of Exeter, Devon, survived and was treated for minor injuries at the scene before being airlifted to hospital.
Emergency services who attended the scene switched off the power lines and closed a nearby road while debris was cleared away.
A police spokesman said: 'When police arrived a helicopter was found to have collided with power lines with the aircraft hitting the ground in a field, suffering severe damage and was lying on its side.
'The pilot was treated for minor injuries at the scene and taken to hospital by air ambulance. Nobody else was involved in the incident.'
The wreckage of the helicopter remained in the field today and the incident has been reported to the Air Accident Investigation Branch.