Sky 7 Makes Hard Landing Upon Take-off

Sky 7 HD, the news helicopter operated by WHDH-TV 7 News, made a hard landing shortly after taking off for bresking news from Beverly Municipal Airport on Wednesday.

 

Beverly Airport Commission Chairman Paul Vitale said the WHDH helicopter, called Sky7 HD, had just taken off about 11:30 a.m. when the pilot noticed it was having engine trouble.

 

The helicopter reached a height of about 100 feet before the pilot brought it back down in a hard landing. The helicopter's tail rotor was heavily damaged from the impact as it veered to the right after takeoff and then landed on a taxiway.  Part of the tail section of the chopper broke off and landed several feet away from the helicopter.

 

There were no injuries reported to the pilot or news photographer on board. There were no fuel leaks or fires, and the airport remained open, he said. The incident took place on the Danvers side of the airport.

 

Officials from the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.

 

Channel 7 has based its news helicopter at Beverly Airport for several years. It is operated 

 

Helicopters Incorporated, the company that flies the chopper, says Sky 7 has always been inspected on time and under manufacturer guidelines. They are cooperating with the FAA to figure out what happened. 

 

The pilot said he expects to be back in the air for 7 News Thursday with a backup chopper and the photographer expects to be back up there with him.