Virginia State Police and the FAA have launched an investigation after a Dominion Energy helicopter crashed into the woods in Surry County, leaving the pilot and passenger with serious but non-life threatening injuries.
Images released by authorities showed the helicopter lying on its side following the accident that unfolded around 12:45 p.m. local time on Saturday, Aug. 5.
“The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were both contacted about the crash. The FAA did arrive to the crash scene to initiate their investigation,” a Virginia State Police spokesperson told FOX Business.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the private helicopter was hired and contracted by Dominion Power,” the spokesperson added. “The pilot and passenger suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond.”
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The helicopter involved in the crash was a Hughes 369 Delta operated by Haverfield Aviation, according to state police.
“Founded in 1981, Haverfield International Incorporated is the leading provider of innovative aerial power line inspection, maintenance, repair and construction support services in the North American electric utility industry,” reads a description of the company on the website of its owner, Quanta Services.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D | DOMINION ENERGY INC. | 49.14 | -0.07 | -0.14% |
Virginia State Police say the helicopter went down near White Marsh Road.
What caused the crash was not immediately clear. The FAA told FOX Business that it “will investigate” the incident.
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In a statement to Fox News Digital, Dominion Energy said “a third-party contractor’s helicopter crashed while performing routine maintenance on a Dominion Energy transmission line in Surry County, Virginia.
“We’re relieved there were no life-threatening injuries, and we wish a speedy recovery for both crew members,” the company added. “There were no impacts to our customers and minimal damage to the transmission line.”
On Sunday, three people died after two firefighting helicopters collided in midair during an attempt to extinguish a brush fire in Riverside County, California.
That collision happened around 7:20 p.m. local time as crews were working to extinguish a fire on 20 acres of Native American land near Cabazon, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office said on social media.
The crash took place in the area of Pipeline Road and Apache Trail. The pilot and two crew members onboard one of the helicopters were killed when the chopper crashed into a hillside.
The second helicopter made a hard landing but no serious injuries were reported, according to KABC.
Fox News’ Landon Mion contributed to this report.
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