Couple jump from helicopter

Press, 24 February 1987, Page 34

Couple jump from helicopter

PA Palmerston North A man and a youth jumped from a helicopter seconds before it crashed in the Ruahine Ranges. The helicopter, on a rescue mission after a deerstalker was injured in the bush, crashed with the pilot on board. No one was seriously hurt.

John Lissette of Palmerston North yesterday recounted the Saturday night incident which began when a party of four tramped into the ranges North-East of Apiti on Saturday afternoon. Two hours up the Umutoi Stream one the party, Graeme Oliver of Ashhurst, pierced his thigh on a branch and was unable to walk any further. Mr Lissette and Blair Mason, aged 16, also from Palmerston North, went back for help. Jason Oliver, aged 16, stayed behind to look after bis father.

Garry Strawbridge in his Hughes 300 picked Mr Lissette up from the Table

Flat Road car-park and picked up Mr Oliver.

Mr Lissette and Jason Oliver stayed behind. “When he came back to get us we climbed aboard,” Mr Lissette said. “Then the pilot started yelling at us to get out. It took about 15 seconds for us to realise what he was saying. “I bailed out from about three or four feet and the young fellow following soon after. He would have had about 10 or 15 feet to jump.”

Mr Lissette said he feared for his life as he fell to the ground and realised the helicopter might come down on top of him. The tail rotor was spinning less than a metre from . where Jason jumped. The helicopter crashed “virtually on its side” with the main rotor dug into the ground. Two other helicopters were used to lift the $140,000 Hughes 300 out of the bush. Damage is estimated at $30,000.