Wed, Oct 22, 2008
Investigators Suspect Air Angels 222 Struck Guy Wire In Downing
Near Aurora
Video footage from a highway traffic camera may shed some light
on last week's fatal crash of a medevac helicopter near Aurora,
IL... by revealing whether or not warning lights on a 734-foot
transmission tower near the accident site were operating.
The Plainfield (IL) Sun reports a security tape taken from an
Aurora Transportation Center camera near Route 59 shows the tower's
lights were on before the October 15 nighttime downing of a Bell
222 operated by Air Angels.
As ANN reported, four people onboard the
helicopter (similar to type shown above) were killed, in the ninth
fatal accident involving a medevac helicopter in the United States
this year.
A preliminary report on the accident has not yet been released,
though investigators suspect the helicopter clipped a guy wire
supporting the transmission tower, which is partly operated by AM
radio station WBIG-1320. Officials have questioned whether it was
possible the helicopter's pilot might not have seen the tower.
WBIG President Rick Jakle says he never doubted the lights were
on, though he was relieved to hear the tape supported his
belief.
"Those lights are extremely reliable," he said. "They don't go
out unless there is a thunderstorm or lightning. We're happy to
hear the corroborating evidence, but the fact is, we knew they were
on."
Investigators haven't stated whether or not the camera caught
any images of the helicopter striking the guy wire. In the
meantime, about half of the damaged tower was removed last
weekend... and authorities are questioning whether it should be
rebuilt.
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