Helicopter-crash survivor from southern Utah recovering

Helicopter-crash survivor from southern Utah recovering

(Courtesy of Sue Reynolds, St. George News)


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ST. GEORGE — A Toquerville man who survived a helicopter crash in Pennsylvania earlier this month is recovering in a hospital in Pittsburgh.

Chase Olsen, a father of three and helicopter pilot who grew up in Toquerville, is undergoing extensive surgeries and treatment after the helicopter he was piloting crashed April 8 in Pennsylvania. The two others in the helicopter were killed in the crash.

Olsen has injuries in his spine, leg, arm and shoulder; he also still has several open wounds, Olsen’s aunt Sue Reynolds said. He has undergone surgeries to insert a steel plate in his arm, a rod in his leg, another plate in his spine to fuse together vertebrae, and will soon have a skin graft to close wounds on his leg, Reynolds said.

Olsen is still in a lot of pain, but he’s looking forward to being transported to Salt Lake City within the upcoming weeks to be closer to his family, Reynolds said.

“He was able to see his mom, dad, wife and baby,” Reynolds said. “The other two girls are really excited to see their dad but it’ll be a little bit before they can.”

Doug Colafella, a spokesman for FirstEnergy, said Olsen was working for a company called High Line Helicopters to help string power lines for a new transmission project in Pennsylvania when the crash occurred. The two others killed in the crash, which occurred about 150 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, were contractors of electric company J.W. Didado Electric.

“I’m sure (Olsen) is going to have the survivor’s guilt, which will happen in that kind of situation,” Reynolds said. “There’s going to be a lot of different emotions and trauma, but he’s in good hands right now at the hospital.”

Courtesy of Sue Reynolds, St. George News
Courtesy of Sue Reynolds, St. George News

Read the full article at St. George News.

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