Pilot dies in helicopter crash in Chelan County, Washington
July 26, 2011, 05:12 pm
An unidentified pilot from Indianapolis, Indiana, died in a helicopter crash in Chelan County, Washington, this week.
The pilot was hired by a Washington-based company, along with dozens of other pilots, to dry cherries after a heavy rainfall. Rain can damage cherries, and helicopters were hired to fly low over the cherry orchards to force water from the limbs of the trees and dry them off.
Around 2 p.m., the helicopter struck a nearby power line. The chopper went down quickly and burst into flames. This was the second crash by a pilot working for the same company this week. Specific details of the earlier crash remain unknown, according to King 5 News.
It's relatively common for out-of-state helicopter pilots to be hired for work of this kind, according to officials.
Helicopter Association International reports that between January 1 and March 31 of this year, there were 19 total civilian helicopter accidents. Of these incidents, five proved to be fatal and 17 people lost their lives due to the crashes. The accident rate is considerably lower than 2009, which saw 29 total accidents in the same timeframe.
Pilots who want to ensure that their families are taken care of should the unthinkable occur may want to look into term insurance for pilots.
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