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Six people died after a Vietnam-era helicopter crashed during a tour of West Virginia on Wednesday night, authorities said.
The Bell UH-1B helicopter, known as the “Huey”, crashed at about 5pm on a country road in Logan County, W.Va., according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The helicopter crashed near Mount Blair, in a mountainous part of the state.
The plane was used for tourist flights around the area, Ray Bryant, head of operations at the Logan Emergency Management Authority, told WSAZ. The helicopter, owned by Marpat Aviation, was part of an annual gathering this week of enthusiasts on the historic Huey.
The names of the victims were not disclosed, but Bryant told local media that they were not from the area.
The cause of the crash remains unclear, according to authorities. The Logan County Emergency Management Service issued a warning of a severe thunderstorm for the county during the incident.
“After first aid workers arrived on the scene, they were later able to confirm that six people had died in the crash,” Sonia Porter, deputy director of the Logan County Emergency Management Service, told The Washington Post.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board have said they are investigating the incident. The NTSB said it was sending a team of five investigators and a family care specialist to the crash site.
Mike Holbrooke, owner and operator of Marpat Aviation, did not immediately respond to a request for comment early Thursday.
The Bell UH-1B helicopter was built in 1962 and was used during the Vietnam War, according to the FAA. Huey, who crashed, also starred in several films, including “Die Hard,” “The Rock,” and “Sea Guardian.”
Huey’s seventh annual gathering began on Tuesday and was due to last until Sunday, according to the Marpat website. Historic aircraft enthusiasts could make a reservation at Logan County Airport to fly the helicopter without being pilots, the website said. A $ 250 donation is required for those who want to fly for 30 minutes to help cover fuel. Those who wanted to ride could do so by making a small donation.
“We want all helicopter enthusiasts (especially Huey) to be able to fly / ride in this historic helicopter,” the website said.
Porter told The Post that in addition to Huey’s gathering, the City of Logan Freedom Festival is being held.
“I don’t know if they took part in these events or where they came from,” she said.
When the crews arrived at Route 17 near Kelly Hollow shortly after the crash, the helicopter was still on fire, Bryant told WSAZ. Authorities said the front of the helicopter appeared to have crashed through a guardrail and on a hillside. Bryant told local media that one of the owners of the helicopter had arrived at the scene, but did not specify whether it was Holbrooke.
“Everyone is sad that this happened in our county and is concerned about the incident,” Porter told West Virginia MetroNews.
Gov. Jim Justice (RW.Va.) tweeted that he and his wife, Cathy, were “praying for the families of those killed in this tragic helicopter crash.”
The road is temporarily closed and it is unclear when it will reopen, WCHS reported.
Witnesses recounted the intensity of the fire after the crash. Bobby Childs, who lives about a mile from where the helicopter crashed, told WSAZ that she had seen at least one person trapped on the plane as the flames caught up with him.
“I ran as fast as I could, went under the guardrail, and got on the helicopter,” Childs said. “But the fire was so hot, so strong, and this man could not get out.”
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