Arlington, Washington accident; 2 killed

[Time Out]

Saturday, November 27, 2004 · Last updated 5:20 p.m. PT

Two killed in helicopter crash near Arlington

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

ARLINGTON, Wash. -- Two people were killed Saturday morning when their helicopter crashed near the Arlington airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

The two people were on a training flight when the crash occurred, KING-TV News reported.

Wreckage was scattered over a wide area, KING-TV reported.

Names of the two people were not immediately released.

A spokeswoman for the Snohomish County medical examiner said autopsies would be done but had not been scheduled as of Saturday afternoon.

No further details were immediately available.

source (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/aplocal_story.asp?category=6420&slug=WA%20Helicopter%20Crash)

[2Sticks]

A bit more detail here, but no news as to type yet: http://www.komotv.com/stories/34152.htm.

2Sticks

[Chiplight]

http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/04/11/28/loc_copter002.cfmAs he watched, the helicopter's engine suddenly revved loudly, then six or eight seconds later Kraetz saw what he believed to be the helicopter's engine exploding.

[slowrotor]

KING 5 TV showed the wreckage of the Robinson R22.
It looked to me like the tailboom was separated.
The instructor, Ben Springer, was giving training to the new helicopter owner. Ben was reported to have 7 years experience with Airlift (a medical helo tranport company).He was also an ordained minister.

[Heliport]

KIROTV report
Pilot Killed Was Volunteer, Minister
Stanwood Man Traveled World To Help Others


STANWOOD, Wash. -- A local man who was killed in a helicopter crash in Arlington over the weekend was a well-known international volunteer who traveled the world to help others, KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reported.

Ben Springer, 39, of Stanwood, was an ordained minister, a devoted volunteer and someone who always thought of others before himself, his family said.

http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/L_IMAGE.ffe081d56a.93.88.fa.7c.a6a00b6b.jpg

Springer's sister said he recently returned from Cambodia, where he and his 13-year-old daughter volunteered to help build an orphanage. Before that, he helped the poor in Honduras.

They tell us Springer was teaching a flight student, when his helicopter, a Robinson 22, mysteriously crashed into a pasture near the Arlington airport, where they had just taken off.

"It's like the engine just went wide open, and then, there was a horrendous explosion."

It appeared that Springer and his student were killed instantly, the debris scattered over more than 100 yards.

Springer was also an experienced medical airlift pilot and a former television news helicopter pilot at KOVR-TV in Sacramento.

Springer leaves behind a wife and four children.

[Lu Zuckerman]

My condolences to the families of the pilot and his student.

If the engine did in fact "run away" there must have been some mechanical disconnect between the engine and the transmission.

:sad: :sad: :sad:

[headsethair]

LU: it's no surprise you get so much stick. Just take a look at your last post:

"If the engine did in fact "run away" there must have been some mechanical disconnect between the engine and the transmission."

I thank the Lord you're not an accident investigator. On the one hand you repeat quotes that never existed ("run away" - who said that ?) and on the other you state the most simplistic bloody obvious statement.

If you had a third hand you could shoot yourself in the foot at the same time.

You weren't there. You are unqualified to comment. Until the report comes out, zip it.

[Phoenix Rising]

Lu - Ben had just recently come onboard as one of my new contributing editors and one of his stories is in the next issue of the mag so please do me a favour and keep any speculative comments about what caused the accident to yourself this time.

There are times and places for your comments and this is NOT the time.

Ned

[RDRickster]

It's always sad to lose a fellow pilot, but it hits home when it is someone you know personally. In this case, it impacts all of us... what a loss. Condolences to family and friends. Knowing he is deacon in his church, I pray they find comfort as he is in God's loving care.

[Lu Zuckerman]

To: headsethair



I thank the Lord you're not an accident investigator. On the one hand you repeat quotes that never existed ("run away" - who said that ?) and on the other you state the most simplistic bloody obvious statement.

It seems that no matter what I say someone is going to take offense.

"It's like the engine just went wide open, and then, there was a horrendous explosion."

I simply repeated what the witness stated but used the correct terminology. I also stated what many of you were thinking.

The loss of these two gentlemen is a loss to humanity and I believe I expressed those feelings.

:E :E