NBC 4′s Conan Nolan reports that the helicopter that crashed in Bouquet Canyon this morning, killing one and injuring another, was in the area to work on Southern California Edison power lines.
The NBC station says that the helicopter pilot had determined that weather conditions were unsafe and had decided to return to a local airport from a landing site on a bluff at Bouquet & Vasquez Canyon Road. As he took off from the ground, “it appears a strong gust of wind may have toppled the helicopter,” resulting in the crash which killed a helicopter mechanic nearby.
The crash looks like it was pretty violent; photos from the scene show the helicopter broken in half and a damaged big rig nearby.
The pilot survived the crash with minor injuries.
This morning, the LA Times reported that helicopter crashed while hovering whereas The Signal says the chopper was on the ground when it tipped over. The NBC report says “the rotor blads were fully deployed and running, [but] it is unclear if the helicopter was off the ground at the time of the accident.”
If this report is accurate, I wonder if this helicopter was working on the Antelope-Pardee power line project that’s been controversial in North Valencia.