3 killed when helicopter hits power line, crashes in Colorado

[News_Editor]

SILT, COLORADO (BNO NEWS) -- A helicopter carrying out inspections on power lines in northwestern Colorado snagged a line and crashed on late Monday morning, killing all three people on board the aircraft, sheriff's officials said. The cause was not immediately known.

The accident occurred at around 11:18 a.m. local time on Monday when a DBS Helicopters aircraft was carrying out power line inspections just south of Silt, a town in Garfield County, about 140 miles (225 kilometers) west of Denver. Experienced local pilot Doug Sheffer was on board along with two other people, whose identities have not yet been released.

"Witnesses in the area called Central Dispatch. Garfield County Sheriff deputies and Colorado River Fire Rescue were dispatched to the scene as well as Search and Rescue," said Walt Stowe, a spokesman for the Garfield County Sheriff's Office. "Three people were on board, including the pilot. There were no survivors."

Stowe said witnesses reported seeing the helicopter "hook a power line" at a location where the line crosses County Road 331, causing the aircraft to crash. "The helicopter crash site at mile point 1.6 has been secured," he said, adding that County Road 331 was reopened several hours later.

Both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate the cause of Monday's accident. "This is all of the information we have at this time. The NTSB is the lead investigative agency," said Allen Kenitzer, an FAA spokesman.

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