Current:Home > ScamsBolt was missing on police helicopter that crashed in South Carolina, report says-VaTradeCoin
Bolt was missing on police helicopter that crashed in South Carolina, report says
View Date:2025-01-07 13:31:19
A police helicopter that crashed at a South Carolina airport was missing a bolt that should have been removed and reinstalled during maintenance about six weeks earlier, federal officials said in a report.
A second bolt on the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office helicopter also was loose and the pilot, who survived, told investigators he felt like his foot controls to move the aircraft’s tail rotors weren’t working, according to the preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board.
“It felt as if the pedals were not attached,” the pilot said.
The tail rotor is key to keeping the helicopter stable and steering it. About 35 minutes into the Aug. 1 flight from Sumter to Charleston, the pilot reported the helicopter wanted to keep pulling to the right, according to the report.
The pilot declared an emergency and tried to land at the Charleston International Airport. Surveillance video from the airport showed as the helicopter hovered about 20 feet (6 meters) from the ground, it pulled right, rose, then plunged into the ground
The helicopter had been to a shop in Sumter, which was not named in the report, twice for maintenance in the past six weeks.
On June 28, the missing bolt and the bolt that was loose because a pin was missing were both supposed to be removed and reinstalled, the report said.
The helicopter flew for about 15 hours before the pilot took it back to Sumter for more maintenance on the day of the crash.
The pilot, Charleston County sheriff’s Lt. Scott Martray, has been with the agency since 2006 and is the chief pilot for the sheriff’s office. He was released from the hospital a day after the crash.
veryGood! (2)
Related
- Surprise bids revive hope for offshore wind in Gulf of Mexico after feds cancel lease sale
- Ex-Phoenix Suns employee files racial discrimination, retaliation lawsuit against the team
- Bankruptcy judge questioned Shilo Sanders' no-show at previous trial
- South Carolina to take a break from executions for the holidays
- Georgia remains part of College Football Playoff bracket projection despite loss
- NBA today: Injuries pile up, Mavericks are on a skid, Nuggets return to form
- New Orleans marks with parade the 64th anniversary of 4 little girls integrating city schools
- Vermont man is fit to stand trial over shooting of 3 Palestinian college students
- Veterans face challenges starting small businesses but there are plenty of resources to help
- Jason Kelce Offers Up NSFW Explanation for Why Men Have Beards
Ranking
- Wisconsin authorities believe kayaker staged his disappearance and fled to Europe
- 'Serial swatter': 18-year-old pleads guilty to making nearly 400 bomb threats, mass shooting calls
- Jon Gruden joins Barstool Sports three years after email scandal with NFL
- 32-year-old Maryland woman dies after golf cart accident
- Singles' Day vs. Black Friday: Which Has the Best Deals for Smart Shoppers?
- After years of unrest, Commanders have reinvented their culture and shattered expectations
- Cruel Intentions' Brooke Lena Johnson Teases the Biggest Differences Between the Show and the 1999 Film
- High-scoring night in NBA: Giannis Antetokounmpo explodes for 59, Victor Wembanyama for 50
Recommendation
-
Massachusetts lawmakers to consider a soccer stadium for the New England Revolution
-
Justice Department says jail conditions in Georgia’s Fulton County violate detainee rights
-
Jake Paul's only loss led him to retool the team preparing him to face Mike Tyson
-
Statue of the late US Rep. John Lewis, a civil rights icon, is unveiled in his native Alabama
-
Agents search home of ex-lieutenant facing scrutiny as police probe leak of school shooting evidence
-
Mike Tyson concedes the role of villain to young foe in 58-year-old’s fight with Jake Paul
-
See Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani's Winning NFL Outing With Kids Zuma and Apollo
-
'Survivor' 47, Episode 9: Jeff Probst gave players another shocking twist. Who went home?