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Investigators on scene of plane, helicopter crash in Frederick Investigators on scene of plane, helicopter crash in Frederick
(about 1 hour later)
Federal investigators on Friday morning were on the scene of a crash the previous afternoon involving a helicopter and a plane that left three people dead in Frederick County. Federal investigators were in Frederick County on Friday morning at the scene of a crash the previous afternoon involving a helicopter and a plane that left three people dead.
National Transportation Safety Board officials are expected to spend the day at the site, as they try to figure out what happened and sift through the wreckage. Officials from Advanced Helicopter Concepts of Frederick are expected to brief the media at 10 a.m. Friday at the Frederick Municipal Airport. The company routinely trains pilots there. National Transportation Safety Board officials are expected to spend the day at the site, as they sift through the wreckage and try to figure out what happened. Officials from Advanced Helicopter Concepts of Frederick were expected to brief the media Friday at the Frederick Municipal Airport. The company routinely trains pilots there.
The crash involved a helicopter that was on a training exercise when it collided about 3:40 p.m. Thursday with a private plane in midair near the airport. The crash involved an Advanced helicopter that was on a training exercise when it collided about 3:40 p.m. Thursday with a private plane in midair near the airport.
Two men from Montgomery County suffered minor injuries in the crash and were released from Meritus Health in Hagerstown, Maryland State Police said Thursday night. State police spokesman Greg Shipley said both men had been on the plane. They were identified as Gilbert Porter, 75, of Sandy Spring, Md., and Scott V. Graeves, 55, of Brookeville, Md. Two Maryland men suffered minor injuries in the crash and were released from Meritus Health in Hagerstown, Maryland State Police said Thursday night. State police spokesman Greg Shipley said both men had been on the plane. They were identified as Gilbert Porter, 75, of Sandy Spring and Scott V. Graeves, 55, of Brookeville.
The three who died were found near the helicopter. They were identified as Christopher D. Parsons, 29, of Westminster, Md.; William Jenkins, 47, of Morrison, Colo.; and Breandan J. MacFawn, 35, of Cumberland, Md. Investigators said Thursday night that all three had been on the helicopter. It was not immediately clear which person was the pilot.The three who died were found near the helicopter. They were identified as Christopher D. Parsons, 29, of Westminster, Md.; William Jenkins, 47, of Morrison, Colo.; and Breandan J. MacFawn, 35, of Cumberland, Md. Investigators said Thursday night that all three had been on the helicopter. It was not immediately clear which person was the pilot.
The aircraft were identified by Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Laura Brown as a 2006 Cirrus SR22, which is a four-seat plane equipped with a parachute that can be deployed for landing, and an R44 helicopter, manufactured by Robinson Helicopter.The aircraft were identified by Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Laura Brown as a 2006 Cirrus SR22, which is a four-seat plane equipped with a parachute that can be deployed for landing, and an R44 helicopter, manufactured by Robinson Helicopter.
Records indicate that the plane, which is registered in Olney, Md., was flying to the Frederick airport from Cleveland, Tenn. Three helicopters were in the air as the plane approached.Records indicate that the plane, which is registered in Olney, Md., was flying to the Frederick airport from Cleveland, Tenn. Three helicopters were in the air as the plane approached.
Porter said late Thursday night that he and Graeves had clearance to land and were in their pattern to descend when suddenly they felt the collision and in a matter of seconds both Porter and the pilot knew they were going to crash. Porter said late Thursday night that he and Graeves had clearance to land and were in their pattern to descend when suddenly they felt the collision. In a matter of seconds, both Porter and the pilot knew they were going to crash.
“We were heading toward the ground at 60 mph, I mean, it was scary as hell,” Porter said in a telephone interview. “We were heading toward the ground at 60 miles per hour. I mean, it was scary as hell,” Porter said in a telephone interview.
Porter and Graeves were at the tail of a day-long trip to Tennessee, where Porter travelled to visit some cutting horses he owns, he said. The pair left Maryland about 7 a.m. for Tennessee and then returned in the afternoon. They had no trouble until they nearly got home. Porter and Graeves were returning to Maryland from a day-long trip to Tennessee, where Porter travelled to visit some cutting horses he owns, he said. The pair left Maryland about 7 a.m. for Tennessee and then returned in the afternoon. Porter said they had no trouble until they were nearly home.
“I’m very lucky to be alive. What saved our lives was that parachute,” Porter said. “I’m very lucky to be alive,” Porter said. “What saved our lives was that parachute.”
After the crash, Graeves deployed the parachute, which slowed them until they careened into the small tree which further broke the plane’s momentum. Then it finally crashed onto the ground, but they were not out of danger. After the aircraft hit, Graeves deployed the parachute, which slowed the plane until it careened into a small tree, which further broke the plane’s momentum. The plane then crashed onto the ground, but the men were still in danger.
“It was a little scary because the wing tore open and the fuel was everywhere,” Porter said. Someone on the ground said ‘Don’t anybody smoke.’ ” “It was a little scary because the wing tore open, and the fuel was everywhere,” Porter said. Someone on the ground said, ‘Don’t anybody smoke.’”
Porter said he sustained minor cuts to his face and bruising to his chest and an arm. Porter said he suffered minor cuts to his face and bruising to his chest and an arm.
Minutes before the crash, Jesse Ault had picked up his wife, Pamela Slifer, at her office, which is adjacent to the airfield. As they sat in a fast-food drive-through, Slifer turned to her husband and said, “Oh, my God!”Minutes before the crash, Jesse Ault had picked up his wife, Pamela Slifer, at her office, which is adjacent to the airfield. As they sat in a fast-food drive-through, Slifer turned to her husband and said, “Oh, my God!”
“My wife and I saw the plane spinning out of control as it came down,” Ault said in a phone interview. “It just happened so quick. The plane crashed right at the corner of her building. It was pretty crazy.” “My wife and I saw the plane spinning out of control as it came down,” Ault said in a phone interview Thursday. “It just happened so quick. The plane crashed right at the corner of her building. It was pretty crazy.”
Ault drove across a grassy area, near the trees where the plane had settled, and he and his wife looked around to see if they could help. By the time they arrived, other witnesses had helped remove a man — believed to be the pilot — from the plane, Ault said. Ault drove across a grassy area, near the trees where the plane had settled, and he Slifer looked around to see if they could help. By the time they arrived, other witnesses had helped remove a man — believed to be the pilot — from the plane, Ault said.
Shipley said state police did not know the cause of the crash. Investigators found a parachute on the ground that may have been attached to the plane, not a person. Shipley said state police did not know the cause of the crash. Investigators found a parachute on the ground that may have been attached to the plane.
National Transportation Safety Board investigator Brian Rayner said he did not know whether the parachute on the plane saved the lives of the two people on board. National Transportation Safety Board investigator Brian Rayner said he did not know whether the parachute on the plane was what saved Porter and Graeves.
The helicopter crashed into a storage facility near the county fairgrounds, about a tenth of a mile from where the plane went down, Shipley said. Rayner said the helicopter was “destroyed.”The helicopter crashed into a storage facility near the county fairgrounds, about a tenth of a mile from where the plane went down, Shipley said. Rayner said the helicopter was “destroyed.”
An air traffic controller was speaking to the plane’s pilot from the control tower at the Frederick airport just before the crash.An air traffic controller was speaking to the plane’s pilot from the control tower at the Frederick airport just before the crash.
It is routine for planes to fly a U-shaped approach, heading downwind and then turning upwind for the final approach and landing. With a strong wind coming from the north Thursday, that meant flying south parallel to the runway and then turning north to land.It is routine for planes to fly a U-shaped approach, heading downwind and then turning upwind for the final approach and landing. With a strong wind coming from the north Thursday, that meant flying south parallel to the runway and then turning north to land.
In an audio recording, the controller can be heard telling the plane’s pilot, “I have three helicopters below you in the traffic pattern.”In an audio recording, the controller can be heard telling the plane’s pilot, “I have three helicopters below you in the traffic pattern.”
“I’ve got two of them in sight,” the pilot responded.“I’ve got two of them in sight,” the pilot responded.
Just after the controller said, “Clear to land,” a panicked voice can be heard on the recording saying, “Oh, God! Oh, God!”Just after the controller said, “Clear to land,” a panicked voice can be heard on the recording saying, “Oh, God! Oh, God!”
Immediately, a voice from one of the unaffected helicopters can be heard: “Airplane down! Helicopter down!”Immediately, a voice from one of the unaffected helicopters can be heard: “Airplane down! Helicopter down!”
The collision occurred near Frederick Community College’s Monroe Center, prompting the school to cancel all classes and activities Thursday evening at that facility. The main campus of the college is a few miles northwest, near Fort Detrick.The collision occurred near Frederick Community College’s Monroe Center, prompting the school to cancel all classes and activities Thursday evening at that facility. The main campus of the college is a few miles northwest, near Fort Detrick.
Bill King, a spokesman for Cirrus, said an accident-response team from the manufacturer was headed to the site, where it will work with the NTSB to investigate the cause of the crash. Bill King, a spokesman for Cirrus, said Thursday that an accident-response team from the manufacturer was headed to the site, where it will work with the NTSB to investigate the cause of the crash.
“We’ve got a fair amount of information already,” King said. “In the final analysis, that doesn’t change what happened for several families today. A bunch of people’s lives changed dramatically today.”“We’ve got a fair amount of information already,” King said. “In the final analysis, that doesn’t change what happened for several families today. A bunch of people’s lives changed dramatically today.”
Dana Hedgpeth, Ashley Halsey III, Nick Anderson, John Woodrow Cox, Julie Zauzmer and Clarence Williams contributed to this report.Dana Hedgpeth, Ashley Halsey III, Nick Anderson, John Woodrow Cox, Julie Zauzmer and Clarence Williams contributed to this report.