A pilot was killed and a man on the ground suffered burn injuries when a Robinson R44 crashed at the Birchwood Airport 24 miles north of Anchorage on Wednesday.
The pilot of the helicopter was identified as 62-year-old Thomas Moore.
According to witnesses at the scene, the helicopter was practicing sling load maneuvers at the airport when it crashed at about 2:30 pm.
Emergency crews from Chugiak and Anchorage, as well as State Troopers responded to the scene. The National Transportation Safety Board also responded to the scene.
Clint Johnson of the National Transportation Safety Board said that the pilot had been practicing for the last couple of days at the airport lifting a 100-foot with a full barrel of water attached to the bottom end.
It is unknown at this time if the helicopter was taking off or landing.
The injured man on the ground was taken to Providence Hospital for treatment of his burn injuries.
The wreckage of the helicopter was transported to a hanger for further investigation and the investigating team is looking at surveillance video in an attempt to determine the exact events that preceded the crash.
Practicing Helicopter Crashes at Birchwood Airport added by Staff on
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