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Heli skiing chopper crash near Golden, B.C.
February 8, 2008 By Corrie
Feb 8, 2008, Golden, B.C. - A 44-year-old helicopter pilot from Revelstoke is dead after his chopper crashed in southeastern B.C. near Golden. Eight others survived the crash Thursday afternoon.
Feb 8, 2008, Golden, B.C. – A 44-year-old helicopter pilot from Revelstoke is dead after his chopper crashed in southeastern B.C. near Golden. Eight others survived the crash Thursday afternoon.
“The detachment received a call at around 3:30 of a downed helicopter in the Canyon Creek area behind the Kicking Horse ski resort,'' says RCMP Cpl. Marc Shehovac.
He says the helicopter was operated by Purcell Helicopter Skiing and was heading back to base with a total of nine people aboard when it suddenly lost altitude.
Six of the passengers, believed to be German skiers, walked away unharmed. Two staff members with the heli-skiing outfit were hurt and one remains in hospital.
“It's possible that the pilot who is now deceased put the aircraft down as best he could to prevent any further casualties,'' says Shehovac.
The helicopter came down so hard both its blades were torn off when it hit the ground.
The Transportation Safety Board is trying to determine what caused the crash while search and rescue teams returned to the area Friday in an effort to recover the pilot's body. (CHNL)
