heli crash in UTAH

[gafa1]

Two NZers killed in helicopter crash

Monday, 21 July 2008

Two New Zealand men have been killed in a helicopter crash in Utah.

Witnesses reported the Hughes 500D helicopter took off from Carbon County Airport with a full load of fuel on Saturday and crashed a short time later.
The Salt Lake Tribune reported three people died in the crash, including a father and son from New Zealand who were returning from a fishing trip.
Charles Ward, a friend of the men, said the two New Zealanders were James Innes and his son Andrew.
The helicopter went down in desert country.
Mr Ward said the pair had been living in Wasatch Front, also in Utah. He said the third man who died in the crash was from Idaho.
Police said the victims' families have been notified and their identities would be officially released later.
Little was left of the helicopter, with the only recognisable parts a tail rotor and some of the main rotor blades.
Police have launched an investigation.


Not to good at all, anyone know what happened here? RIP.

[Big Foot]

Any of the Americans on here have any info on this, i believe two expat kiwis killed, a father and son, they would be the same family which lost another son in a 500 crash in Mexico a few years back very sad
RIP

[havoc]

NZ men killed in US helicopter crash
9:04AM Monday July 21, 2008

Two New Zealand men have been killed in a fiery helicopter crash in Utah.

Witnesses told the Deseret News that the Hughes 500D helicopter took off from Carbon County Airport with a full load of fuel on Saturday and crashed a short time later.

The Salt Lake Tribune reported that the father and son were returning from a fishing trip.

A friend of the men, Charles Ward, told the newspaper that the two New Zealanders were James Innes and his son Andrew.

The helicopter went down amongst sage bushes and oil wells in desert country.

Mr Ward said the pair had been living in Wasatch Front, also in Utah. He said a third man who died in the crash was from Idaho.

The pilot of a helicopter which took off at the same time told the Tribune he saw the helicopter lift without any problems.

Jeremy Johnson said he looked back for the second helicopter but could not see it. He also could not reach the helicopter by radio.

Carbon County Sheriff James Cordova told the paper that the remains of the helicopter were still being removed.

Mr Cordova said that there was not much left of the helicopter besides a tail rotor and the main blades.

He told the paper an investigation into the cause of the crash was under way but high-winds had been ruled out.

[Ned-Air2Air]

James has been involved in the helo industry here for many many years and was well respected. I think their station was Haldon station down in the South Island.

Very sad :(

[Ned-Air2Air]

Fatal helicopter crash triple tragedy for family - report


The New Zealand father who died alongside his son in a helicopter crash in the United States over the weekend had lost another son in a similar crash 10 years ago, according to reports.

Witnesses told the Deseret News that the Hughes 500D helicopter took off from Carbon County Airport with a full load of fuel on Saturday and crashed a short time later.

The Salt Lake Tribune reported that the father and son were returning from a fishing trip.

A friend of the men, Charles Ward, told the newspaper that the two New Zealanders were James Innes and his son Andrew.

3 News reported that a second son of James Innes, Dan, had been killed in a 1998 helicopter crash in Mexico.

On its website, the station said the Innes family were past owners of Haldon Station in the South Island's MacKenzie Country.

The Innes family had a contract with the Mexican government to capture bighorn sheep.

At the time of Dan Innes' death, a business associate described his father James Innes as a pioneer who had cornered the market in wildlife-recovery operations for various North American agencies.

The Salt Lake Tribune reported that the helicopter went down amongst sage bushes and oil wells in desert country.

Mr Ward said the pair had been living in Wasatch Front, also in Utah. He said a third man who died in the crash was from Idaho.

The pilot of a helicopter which took off at the same time told the Tribune he saw the helicopter lift without any problems.

Jeremy Johnson said he looked back for the second helicopter but could not see it. He also could not reach the helicopter by radio.

Carbon County Sheriff James Cordova told the paper that the remains of the helicopter were still being removed.

Mr Cordova said that there was not much left of the helicopter besides a tail rotor and the main blades.

He told the paper an investigation into the cause of the crash was under way but high-winds had been ruled out.