OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – A U.S. Customs and Border Safety helicopter crash-landed at a metro municipal airport Wednesday afternoon and, miraculously, the 2 pilots walked away unhurt.
“They’d some sort of a malfunction and the helicopter went down,” mentioned Oklahoma Metropolis Hearth Batt. Chief Benny Fulkerson.
What went improper is now underneath investigation.
Crews had been referred to as to the Clarence Web page Municipal Airport round 3:30 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, and once they arrived, the helicopter was little greater than a smoldering mass.
“It was already primarily burned all the best way all the way down to the body,” Fulkerson mentioned.
The pilots had been a protected distance away from the broken plane with no severe accidents.
“They did point out that the helicopter was on fireplace earlier than it even hit the bottom. To what extent, we do not know,” Fulkerson mentioned.
William Avery, the Deputy Director of the Nationwide Air Coaching Heart, a division of the U.S. Customs and Border Safety Air and Marine Operations, mentioned it was an AS350 conducting a coaching mission. The helicopter left Will Rogers Airport sooner or later through the day, however he didn’t know whether or not it was touchdown at or taking off from the airport.
“Considered one of our regionally assigned teacher pilots was doing a pilot and command preliminary coaching syllabus, so for one of many pilots from the southwest border,” Avery mentioned.
CBP officers mentioned the pilot who was coaching is already very skilled, however was midway by way of his preliminary coaching with Border Safety.
Going ahead, Border Safety, the NTSB and the FAA will examine the crash.
“Unlucky once more that we misplaced an plane, however we’re very lucky that the trainer was expert sufficient to take care of the scenario and that they had been each in a position to get out safely,” Avery mentioned.
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