Pac Rotors
28th Jan 2001, 14:01
Chopper crash investigated
Air accident investigators are examining the
wreckage of a Hughes 300C helicopter which crashed Friday afternoon amid rush-hour holiday traffic on Auckland's southern motorway.
The two men on board, believed to be aged 25
and 30, are being treated in Middlemore hospital for serious head and internal injuries.
The men were volunteer medics on their way to
the Parachute Christian music festival in
Matamata, and had hired the Hughes 300 from
Ardmore Helicopters. Their names will be released on Saturday.
The chopper crashed shortly after its 4:30pm take off. According to witnesses, the helicopter seemed to fall out of the sky, directly onto the motorway median strip, between the Drury and Ramarama off-ramps.
The crash, which happened at the start of
Auckland's anniversary weekend, caused a traffic jam that stretched almost 30 kilometres from the city to the foot of the Bombay Hills.
The wreckage was removed from the motorway
late on Friday night. Before the helicopter crash, the motorway was already completely blocked by an eight metre launch, which fell from its trailer and leaked fuel.
Air accident investigators are examining the
wreckage of a Hughes 300C helicopter which crashed Friday afternoon amid rush-hour holiday traffic on Auckland's southern motorway.
The two men on board, believed to be aged 25
and 30, are being treated in Middlemore hospital for serious head and internal injuries.
The men were volunteer medics on their way to
the Parachute Christian music festival in
Matamata, and had hired the Hughes 300 from
Ardmore Helicopters. Their names will be released on Saturday.
The chopper crashed shortly after its 4:30pm take off. According to witnesses, the helicopter seemed to fall out of the sky, directly onto the motorway median strip, between the Drury and Ramarama off-ramps.
The crash, which happened at the start of
Auckland's anniversary weekend, caused a traffic jam that stretched almost 30 kilometres from the city to the foot of the Bombay Hills.
The wreckage was removed from the motorway
late on Friday night. Before the helicopter crash, the motorway was already completely blocked by an eight metre launch, which fell from its trailer and leaked fuel.