According to the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, a 63 year old man was flying a small kit helicopter at Gaines Valley Aviation about 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, when the helicopter crashed in a field across the street from the airfield on Gaines Waterport road.
According to witness Dirk Climenhagan, who called 911 and assisted a passerby in the rescuing of the pilot, he heard a loud pop, and he believes the pilot was struggling to get control of the chopper after that.
Climenhaga says after the loud pop the chopper was on fire and started hovering funny. The chopper then headed west when it came down in the field on fire.
“He was stuck inside with his harness,” says Climenhaga.
“Mark Bennett was the hero, it was a ball of fire and smoke and I was running over there too. Mark grabbed him, pulled his harness off and pulled him away from the helicopter and put him on the ground.”
Climenhaga says that Bennett used his jacket to put the flames out on the pilot’s back.
The victim was conscious an alert after the crash and was transported to Strong Hospital by COVA ambulance with burns. He does not appear to have life threatening injuries according to the Sheriff’s Office.
“With the grace of God there was a guy who was driving by that was kind of intrigued with watching him fly,” says Sheriff Bower.
“Because that gentleman was here is the reason his life was saved today.”
At this time the name of the pilot is not being released.
Sheriff Bower says the pilot only stays in the area when flying the kit helicopter and does not usually fly that high.
The pilot had been recently working on the helicopter.