Co-pilot in deadly Trinity County helicopter crash disputing NTSB report
MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) — A helicopter co-pilot who survived a crash that killed nine people during takeoff from a wildfire staging area two years ago has disputed a federal report blaming the weight of the aircraft and lack of oversight.William "Bill" Coultas of Cave Junction says the National Transportation Safety Board ignored his written and oral testimony that loss of power in an engine caused the crash of the Sikorsky helicopter, the Mail Tribune reported.
"I was speechless — I could not believe what I was hearing," he said after the NTSB report was released Tuesday. "I was there. I had the best seat in the house. I knew what happened."
Coultas, 46, is still recovering from severe burns suffered in the August 2008 crash in Northern California that also killed pilot Roark Schwanenberg of Lostine.
Both Coultas and the Schwanenberg family have sued engine manufacturer General Electric, as well as Sikorsky and a maintenance company, Columbia Helicopters, citing engine failure, among other things.
They say the NTSB investigators were responsible for losing engine fuel control parts that would have backed up the copilot's testimony.
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View entire article here: http://www.redding.com/news/2010/dec/10/co-pilot-deadly-trinity-county-helicopteter-crash/
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