Scrole
17th Jun 2003, 11:47
Monday June 16, 2003 12:09 PM
VOLCANO, Hawaii (AP) - A sightseeing helicopter flying over an active lava flow from Kilauea Volcano crashed into rugged terrain, killing the pilot and all three passengers.
The pilot of the Hughes 500 reported engine problems before the helicopter fell straight down Sunday and ``pancaked'' into an old lava flow, said Tweet Coleman, the Federal Aviation Administration's Pacific representative.
The helicopter owned by Tropical Helicopters was on a tour of the Kilauea eruption when it crashed about two miles from Chain of Craters Road, at the 600-foot level on a cliff known as Pulama Pali, Ranger Jim Gale at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park said. It wasn't immediately known how close the crash site was to active lava flows.
The bodies of the victims were recovered as park rescue personnel conducted an investigation at the crash scene, Gale said. Their names were being withheld pending notification of family members.
Park dispatch had received a ``mayday'' distress call from the pilot before losing radio contact, Gale said.
A park firefighting helicopter working in the area confirmed the crash a short time later, and dropped buckets of water on the crash site fire, he said.
Two FAA inspectors and a National Transportation Safety Board investigator were scheduled to arrive at the site Monday, Coleman said.
VOLCANO, Hawaii (AP) - A sightseeing helicopter flying over an active lava flow from Kilauea Volcano crashed into rugged terrain, killing the pilot and all three passengers.
The pilot of the Hughes 500 reported engine problems before the helicopter fell straight down Sunday and ``pancaked'' into an old lava flow, said Tweet Coleman, the Federal Aviation Administration's Pacific representative.
The helicopter owned by Tropical Helicopters was on a tour of the Kilauea eruption when it crashed about two miles from Chain of Craters Road, at the 600-foot level on a cliff known as Pulama Pali, Ranger Jim Gale at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park said. It wasn't immediately known how close the crash site was to active lava flows.
The bodies of the victims were recovered as park rescue personnel conducted an investigation at the crash scene, Gale said. Their names were being withheld pending notification of family members.
Park dispatch had received a ``mayday'' distress call from the pilot before losing radio contact, Gale said.
A park firefighting helicopter working in the area confirmed the crash a short time later, and dropped buckets of water on the crash site fire, he said.
Two FAA inspectors and a National Transportation Safety Board investigator were scheduled to arrive at the site Monday, Coleman said.