Post by Admin on May 19, 2009 6:12:08 GMT -6
Contractor hurt in Fort Bragg chopper crash
A civilian contractor crashed a helicopter Monday morning on Simmons Army Airfield and suffered minor injuries, a Fort Bragg spokesman said.
The contractor, whose name was not disclosed, was flying the OH-58 Kiowa on a routine maintenance test flight when the aircraft went down about 9 a.m. near the southeast ramp on the airfield, said Col. Billy J. Buckner.
The aircraft landed on its side, separating the tail boom from the fuselage, he said. The pilot received minor injuries and will remain in a hospital overnight for observation, Buckner said. The cause of the crash is unclear, and an investigation is pending. The crash scene and all the equipment were secured in accordance with Army regulations, Buckner said.
The chopper — a two-seat, single-engine helicopter used for reconnaissance and direct fire support — is based out of Fort Carson, Colo., Buckner said. It was here under U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command’s reset program, which repairs aircraft returning from war zones.
A civilian contractor crashed a helicopter Monday morning on Simmons Army Airfield and suffered minor injuries, a Fort Bragg spokesman said.
The contractor, whose name was not disclosed, was flying the OH-58 Kiowa on a routine maintenance test flight when the aircraft went down about 9 a.m. near the southeast ramp on the airfield, said Col. Billy J. Buckner.
The aircraft landed on its side, separating the tail boom from the fuselage, he said. The pilot received minor injuries and will remain in a hospital overnight for observation, Buckner said. The cause of the crash is unclear, and an investigation is pending. The crash scene and all the equipment were secured in accordance with Army regulations, Buckner said.
The chopper — a two-seat, single-engine helicopter used for reconnaissance and direct fire support — is based out of Fort Carson, Colo., Buckner said. It was here under U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command’s reset program, which repairs aircraft returning from war zones.