Inquest into ’copter deaths

Press, 1 April 1980, Page 7

Inquest into ’copter deaths

r&: 'Greymouth reporter. Two men died when their helicopter crashed soon after takeoff 1 in thick-- fog at Omoto,' just ’’but ’of" Grejrmouth, on February 6.- the District Coroner, Mr D.- H. Copeland has found at an inquest in Greymouth'. '■ ■ said that Kenneth Ross Bird, the. pilot, and Colin Stanley Crook,, a" deer shooter, had died from high-veloc-ftyi-inulti-systenv injuries -incompatible -with survival. - H/'R. Bodie, a siirgeon ait Grey’ Hospital, gave evidence of post-mortem examinations. ■’j£van Raymond Birchfield, of .Omoto, said that early on February 6. he had? heard a helicopter taking off,, .its power increasing, and? then a

loud bang and a clattering noise..

“I-went to the yard where the helicopter was based,” he said.’.“The fog was thick and I put my car headlights oh but could not see. any? t|iing.”-... ■ .. . • ■ .Constable N. G. Oliver said -that when the helicoptec had been reported. overdue . a search had. been launched but nothing further was learned of it . that day. The, next day an Omoto farmer, had reported, that he had found the vyreckage. of a helicopter on his ..property strewn over about lOOrm

The bodies had been found about 30m apart under gorse bushes. ■ . '■ / ’ The Coroner found that Mr Bird died instantaneously and Mr Crook at or soon after' impact. '