SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Investigators seek the cause of the crash of a small helicopter into a Spokane area neighborhood that killed a student pilot.
The accident occurred about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday just east of Felts Field, the city’s general aviation airport. The name of the pilot has not yet been released.
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Department said witnesses reported the aircraft appeared to have suffered a mechanical problem before it crashed and scattered debris across the backyards of several residences. No one was hurt on the ground.
The Robinson R-22 helicopter is owned by Inland Helicopter. The sheriff’s office said the only occupant was a male student on a solo flight, and crashed as he was approaching Felts Field to land.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were notified.
