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WOODS CROSS — A helicopter crashed in Woods Cross during a training exercise Monday morning.
The helicopter, a Robinson R22, which is commonly used in training exercises, crashed at the Skypark Airport near Redwood Road.
Chief Greg Butler of the Woods Cross Police Department said a student and an instructor from Upper Limit Aviation were training about 50 feet above ground when the student lost control. The instructor attempted to correct the problem, but couldn't recover.
"It looked like they were trying to do a maneuver called an autorotation, and that's where they come in and practice where their engine has quit," said witness Steve Newman. "They came in a little too fast and didn't quite pull the pitch quite quick enough, hit the taxi-way and that's when the rotor blades started flying off and then cartwheeled about three times and came to a rest."
With the impact of the crash, Newman said he expected the worse.
"I was dialing 911 as I was running, and I was really expecting to see arms and legs flying out," he said.
The instructor and student received only minor injuries and bruises.
We're glad they're both just bruised up and doing good, and glad it turned out that way.
–Steve Newman
"We're glad they're both just bruised up and doing good, and glad it turned out that way," Newman said.
With the hundreds of helicopters that come through the airport, Newman said he has never seen anything like Monday's crash.
"This is the first time I've seen this and I don't know how many hundreds of helicopters I've seen out here at the airport," he said. "This is the first time this has happened."
The Skypark Airport is a public use airport in Woods Cross, privately owned by Skypark Airport Association.
