[durt]

Woman, 35, taken to hospital with minor injuries after helicopter crash in Brantford, Ont.



The 35-year-old woman was taken to hospital after the helicopter she was flying crashed in southern Ontario on Sunday morning, police said.



Officers in Brantford, Ont., responded to the scene at Golf Road and Powerline Road near the Grand Valley Christian Centre at 7 a.m., according to Staff Sgt. Dave Disher. A spokesperson for the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB), said the Robinson R44 helicopter, operated by Apex Helicopters, was doing aerial spray work north to northeast of the Brantford Airport.

"The helicopter clipped a power wire resulting in an accident," he said.

Russell King, Brantford paramedic chief, said the woman was the only one in the helicopter.

"They found one conscious patient with fractures and other minor injuries," he said.

"It was her lucky day to buy a lottery ticket."

King said the woman was conscious when taken to Hamilton General Hospital and went there because she needed a trauma bypass.



Images from the scene appear to show the helicopter's tail snapped and rotor bent. The cockpit appears to have been reduced to twisted metal.

[William May]

A friend of mine wanted to be an "Aerial Applicator" (Cropduster) until he found out they average 8 crashes per year.
Although they usually don't get hurt because they wear special harnesses and helmets. But they smash a lot of airplanes up. I drove out to San Diego once, and there was a cropdusting operation next to the highway, and they had at least 30 crashed airplanes lined up against their fence.
If it had been MY operation, I would have put up a sign that said:
"Learn To Fly Here!" on the fence next to the wrecks.