CORONA: Aspiring pilot crashes helicopter
CORONA: Aspiring pilot crashes helicopter
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A pilot-in-training crashed a helicopter while landing Thursday, July 23, at the Corona Municipal Airport.
Surveillance footage shows the Robinson R22 helicopter descending into a dirt pad just before 3 p.m.
The aft portions of the landing skids strike the ground, sending the front of the helicopter lurching forward. The rotors can be seen digging into the ground, throwing shrapnel into the surrounding field.
The Federal Aviation Administration reported that one person sustained minor injuries, though it’s unclear whether it was the aspiring aviator or his instructor from MI Air in Chino.
Curtis Showalper, airport administrator, said the student was in his early 20s.
Cori Donahue, manager of the Corona Airport Cafe, wrote on Facebook that she witnessed the botched landing. Shortly after the crash, she saw “everyone running to help him, it was so awesome with the quick response of help.”
The FAA investigation determined the crash was an accident, and that “substantial” damage was done to the helicopter. The retail price for a new R22 is $285,000, according to the Robinson Helicopters website.
Officials at MI Air could not be reached for comment.
