Pilot kills a Robbie
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Joined: May 2002
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
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From: Downeast
Pilot kills a Robbie
Chopper crash a suicide
Pilot intentionally downs Butte-based helicopter into Helena hayfield
By Martin J. Kidston for Lee Montana Newspapers - 02/07/2006
HELENA — A 21-year-old flight instructor from Butte apparently committed suicide Monday by crashing his company’s helicopter into a Helena hayfield, but only after placing a call to the air traffic control tower and informing them of his intentions.
The man, identified as Patrick Pfeifhofer, of Italy, was working as a flight instructor for Silver State Helicopters in Butte on a visa.
The helicopter, a Robinson R-44, crashed off Lincoln Road about three miles north of the Helena Regional Airport at about 12:17 a.m.
Lewis and Clark Coroner Mickey Nelson said it appeared that Pfeifhofer intended to kill himself based on a conversation that took place moments before the crash between him and air traffic controllers.
“It appears he didn’t want to hurt anyone,’’ Nelson said. “He stated that in one of his conversations. He said he loved America and that he didn’t want to hurt anyone. It seems likely at this point that it was a suicide.’’
Jerry Airola, president of Silver State Helicopters in Nevada, said Pfeifhofer’s actions had left many saddened and shocked.
“It devastated a lot of people,’’ Airola said. “We did a stand down today. We’re not doing any flying. We’ll bring in counselors for those who need to talk about it.’’
Airola said Pfeifhofer was an Italian citizen who first began working for Silver State in Colorado.
He transferred to the Butte office several months ago and had become a proficient instructor, Airola said.
“It was his birthday yesterday, and he went to a Super Bowl party where apparently he got in a fight with his girlfriend,’’ Airola said. “They broke up and he went to the airport and took one of the helicopters.’’
Airola said Pfeifhofer attempted to call his girlfriend on his cell phone, along with his sister in Italy.
Later, Airola said, Pfeifhofer radioed Helena’s air traffic control tower and announced his intentions to commit suicide by crashing the helicopter into the ground.
“He said ‘I love America and I don’t want to see anyone get hurt,’’’ Airola said. “As an employee, he had access to the helicopters there in Butte. I think he knew what he was going to do before he even took off because he moved some of the newer aircraft out of the way to get to the oldest one.’’
Airola said the 1999-model aircraft was valued at around $300,000, much less than the company’s newer models.
Mike Fergus, a public affairs specialist with the Northwest Mountain Region of the Federal Aviation Administration, confirmed earlier in the day that the aircraft was in fact registered to Silver State Helicopters.
The company is based in Nevada and leases an aviation hangar at the Bert Mooney Airport in Butte where it offers the helicopter flight school where Pfeifhofer worked as an instructor.
“The helicopter crashed under unknown circumstances 10 miles north of Helena,’’ Fergus said Monday morning, declining to comment on the crash. “It was destroyed by fire with one person on board.’’
Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Cheryl Liedle said the first emergency call rang in at 12:17 a.m. reporting a fire in the Helena Valley.
It wasn’t until deputies arrived at the scene did they realize a helicopter had crashed about 200 yards from the three houses off Lincoln Road.
Liedle said the crash sparked a fire that was quickly extinguished by the West Valley and Lewis and Clark volunteer fire departments.
Others in the valley reported seeing a small fireball in the area of the crash. One man said his son watched the accident unfold.
“There wasn’t much left of the helicopter,’’ Liedle said.
Fergus said the National Transportation Safety Board had dispatched an investigator to the scene from Seattle to examine the crash.
The FAA, he added, would examine any flight anomalies, including the pilot’s rating and his medical history.
Silver State Helicopters employs 450 people in 22 locations and owns about 180 helicopters, the company said.
Coroner Nelson said Pfeifhofer’s body would be sent to the State Crime Lab in Missoula for an autopsy.
“We’re tying to get the family notified over in Italy,’’ Nelson said. “They do it a little different there than we do it here. This is definitely a different situation.’’
Pilot intentionally downs Butte-based helicopter into Helena hayfield
By Martin J. Kidston for Lee Montana Newspapers - 02/07/2006
HELENA — A 21-year-old flight instructor from Butte apparently committed suicide Monday by crashing his company’s helicopter into a Helena hayfield, but only after placing a call to the air traffic control tower and informing them of his intentions.
The man, identified as Patrick Pfeifhofer, of Italy, was working as a flight instructor for Silver State Helicopters in Butte on a visa.
The helicopter, a Robinson R-44, crashed off Lincoln Road about three miles north of the Helena Regional Airport at about 12:17 a.m.
Lewis and Clark Coroner Mickey Nelson said it appeared that Pfeifhofer intended to kill himself based on a conversation that took place moments before the crash between him and air traffic controllers.
“It appears he didn’t want to hurt anyone,’’ Nelson said. “He stated that in one of his conversations. He said he loved America and that he didn’t want to hurt anyone. It seems likely at this point that it was a suicide.’’
Jerry Airola, president of Silver State Helicopters in Nevada, said Pfeifhofer’s actions had left many saddened and shocked.
“It devastated a lot of people,’’ Airola said. “We did a stand down today. We’re not doing any flying. We’ll bring in counselors for those who need to talk about it.’’
Airola said Pfeifhofer was an Italian citizen who first began working for Silver State in Colorado.
He transferred to the Butte office several months ago and had become a proficient instructor, Airola said.
“It was his birthday yesterday, and he went to a Super Bowl party where apparently he got in a fight with his girlfriend,’’ Airola said. “They broke up and he went to the airport and took one of the helicopters.’’
Airola said Pfeifhofer attempted to call his girlfriend on his cell phone, along with his sister in Italy.
Later, Airola said, Pfeifhofer radioed Helena’s air traffic control tower and announced his intentions to commit suicide by crashing the helicopter into the ground.
“He said ‘I love America and I don’t want to see anyone get hurt,’’’ Airola said. “As an employee, he had access to the helicopters there in Butte. I think he knew what he was going to do before he even took off because he moved some of the newer aircraft out of the way to get to the oldest one.’’
Airola said the 1999-model aircraft was valued at around $300,000, much less than the company’s newer models.
Mike Fergus, a public affairs specialist with the Northwest Mountain Region of the Federal Aviation Administration, confirmed earlier in the day that the aircraft was in fact registered to Silver State Helicopters.
The company is based in Nevada and leases an aviation hangar at the Bert Mooney Airport in Butte where it offers the helicopter flight school where Pfeifhofer worked as an instructor.
“The helicopter crashed under unknown circumstances 10 miles north of Helena,’’ Fergus said Monday morning, declining to comment on the crash. “It was destroyed by fire with one person on board.’’
Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Cheryl Liedle said the first emergency call rang in at 12:17 a.m. reporting a fire in the Helena Valley.
It wasn’t until deputies arrived at the scene did they realize a helicopter had crashed about 200 yards from the three houses off Lincoln Road.
Liedle said the crash sparked a fire that was quickly extinguished by the West Valley and Lewis and Clark volunteer fire departments.
Others in the valley reported seeing a small fireball in the area of the crash. One man said his son watched the accident unfold.
“There wasn’t much left of the helicopter,’’ Liedle said.
Fergus said the National Transportation Safety Board had dispatched an investigator to the scene from Seattle to examine the crash.
The FAA, he added, would examine any flight anomalies, including the pilot’s rating and his medical history.
Silver State Helicopters employs 450 people in 22 locations and owns about 180 helicopters, the company said.
Coroner Nelson said Pfeifhofer’s body would be sent to the State Crime Lab in Missoula for an autopsy.
“We’re tying to get the family notified over in Italy,’’ Nelson said. “They do it a little different there than we do it here. This is definitely a different situation.’’
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 188
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From: Victoria
depression amongst professional pilots
Are there any reviews done on the amount of pro-pilots whom suffer from or have suffered from depression within their work life as pilots?
Do many go into denial in order to maintain class 1 medicals? (stress, anxiety etc.)
Should there be an additional concern that your colleagues might be silently suffering & a be a virtual ticking bomb.
Blokes being blokes most keep their mouth shut, & you never know about it until it's too late.
Do many go into denial in order to maintain class 1 medicals? (stress, anxiety etc.)
Should there be an additional concern that your colleagues might be silently suffering & a be a virtual ticking bomb.
Blokes being blokes most keep their mouth shut, & you never know about it until it's too late.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2002
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 18,633
Likes: 1,072
From: Downeast
Depression in the helicopter business....can't be.
The wonderful wages, the great working environment, the great passengers you get to meet...good food...short hours...Fiver Star Accomodation...bosses bothering you all the time asking if there is something they can do for you.....and standing at the airside with baggage in hand looking for your relief to come down the boarding ladder so you can board and start your time off....only to turn around and go back to work until the company gets someone out to relieve you (again!).
Why more of us don't go "postal" is one good argument for gun control.
The wonderful wages, the great working environment, the great passengers you get to meet...good food...short hours...Fiver Star Accomodation...bosses bothering you all the time asking if there is something they can do for you.....and standing at the airside with baggage in hand looking for your relief to come down the boarding ladder so you can board and start your time off....only to turn around and go back to work until the company gets someone out to relieve you (again!).
Why more of us don't go "postal" is one good argument for gun control.
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 814
Likes: 1
From: Iceland
can’t be important like say, Beer or Motorbikes!
Very sad story though and to bad that the guy couldn´t find some other way to sort out his problems. Nice of him to take the oldest ship for that last journey.
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 188
Likes: 0
From: Victoria
if their not winging - their not happy...?
that's what I was wondering, not the everyday crap that you are subjected to continuously, whilst that is likely to eventually wear thin on even the most thick skinned of us, & reduce job satisfaction to the point where a pilot leaves voluntarily (of sorts).
I was more concerned with the (quiet) ones who are are flying one day & do themselves over the next.
I lost a (a non-pilot) mate to manic depression, none of us saw it coming,
the most unlikely of people you would have thought to do it,
he was an amazing guy, very switched on. A complete waste.
can't help feeling sorry for this poor bugger.
I was more concerned with the (quiet) ones who are are flying one day & do themselves over the next.
I lost a (a non-pilot) mate to manic depression, none of us saw it coming,
the most unlikely of people you would have thought to do it,
he was an amazing guy, very switched on. A complete waste.
can't help feeling sorry for this poor bugger.
Last edited by gadgetguru; 9th February 2006 at 07:50.
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 364
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From: Just over there....no there.
Just goes to show you what really matters to most people, it's not the money or the job it's plain personal happiness...oh dear, what the female of the species can drive you to..very sad.
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 155
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From: Pacific
damn. wot is it wit woo-man and aviation? lads doin the hari-kari left & centre.don't let them f@ckka's win men.
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...light=skytower
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...light=skytower
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 182
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From: South of the Equator
Dear Master Thomas.
What an absolute cretin you have turned out to be.
Mental Illness is a significant and serious illness in all communities, yet alone our own Industry.
We can all fall victim to illness’s that are outside our own control….you have obviously never experienced the phenomena, or are to stupid to understand….[I suspect the later].
You’re a typical cop pilot with limited capacity to see outside your own sandpit.
What an embarrassment…..hope your man or woman never experiences the dark side of human development.
Grow up.
Mental Illness is a significant and serious illness in all communities, yet alone our own Industry.
We can all fall victim to illness’s that are outside our own control….you have obviously never experienced the phenomena, or are to stupid to understand….[I suspect the later].
You’re a typical cop pilot with limited capacity to see outside your own sandpit.
What an embarrassment…..hope your man or woman never experiences the dark side of human development.
Grow up.
