Sunday, June 21, 2015

PILOT KILLED IN CROP-DUSTING HELICOPTER CRASH NEAR SALINAS, CALIFORNIA







JUNE 20, 2015

SALINAS, CALIF. (AP)

A helicopter crashed at approximately 8:30 a.m. Saturday approximately one mile from Blanco Road in Salinas resulting in the death of the pilot.

Salinas Municipal Airport manager Brett Godown said Gomes Farm Air Service has been a longtime operator at the airport and always do maintenance on their aircrafts.

"You can see them out there everyday checking the aircraft out and making sure it's functioning properly. I was out there this morning and they were out there working and maintaining the aircraft," he said. "They're a very safe operation."

Gomes Farm Air Service was contacted and said they had no comment until they see the FAA report.

According to Allen Kenitzer, FAA spokesman, the helicopter crashed under unknown circumstances while crop dusting.

Godown said Frank Gomes of Gomes Farm Air Service describes their operation as the emergency responders for the agriculture fields when something is happening to a crop.

"They're called day-off to go and respond chemicals to prevent food contamination or the destruction of food, so their business model has changed in the last decade," he said. "They were out there doing work that was necessary to be done so everyone could have food."


Firefighters from the Salinas Fire Department and Monterey County Fire Department work a helicopter crash scene off Blanco Road in Salinas on Saturday morning. (Photo: Juan Villa/The Salinas Californian)

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Pilot killed in crop-dusting helicopter crash in California

Saturday, June 20, 2015 

- Authorities say a pilot was killed when a helicopter crashed while crop dusting a field in Central California.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer said the Bell 47 helicopter went down near Salinas Saturday morning.

The cause of the accident was under investigation.

The aircraft was registered to Gomes Farm Air Service, and the company said the pilot was co-owner Frank Gomes, Jr.

The company operates out of Salinas Municipal Airport.

The airport’s manager, Brett Godown, told the Salinas Californian (http://bit.ly/1GzrjWX ) he saw workers maintaining the aircraft Saturday morning and called the Air Service “a very safe operation.”


Date:
20-JUN-2015
Time:
morning
Type:
Bell 47
Owner/operator:
Gomes Farm Air Service
Registration:

C/n / msn:

Fatalities:
Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:
0
Airplane damage:
Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:
near Salinas, California - http://aviation-safety.net/database/country/flags_15/N.gif  United States of America
Phase:
Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:
Agricultural
Departure airport:
Salinas Municipal Airport
Destination airport:
Salinas Municipal Airport
Narrative:
The crop dusting helicopter crashed under unknown circumstances. The pilot died in the crash.
Sources: