An experienced South Canterbury pilot was lucky to escape with only chest injuries after his helicopter hit unmarked power lines and crashed near Timaru yesterday.
Sandy Jamieson, of Helicopters South Canterbury, suffered a fractured sternum in the incident in which his Robinson R44 landed in the Opuha River after it hit
power lines across the Opihi River 50m from the crash site.
The rotor was left sticking out of the river 100m below the crash site.
Mr Jamieson was the only person in the four-seater helicopter when it crashed about 8.50 am.
It was misty and drizzling at the time.
Nearby resident Penny How heard a bang then silence.
At her home, she jumped on her son's pushbike and raced to the crash scene. She then biked back to call emergency services.
Calum McKerchar, of Geraldine, who was the first person to reach the wreck, said Mr Jamieson was more annoyed about the helicopter's state than his own situation.
"He was fine. He was sitting up. He was annoyed about his chopper."
St John spokesman Donald Nortier said Mr Jamieson was "incredibly lucky".
When the emergency services first arrived, Mr Jamieson complained of a sore chest where his seatbelt had been. He suggested he did not need to go to hospital.
But Mr Jamieson was lifted out of his helicopter about 10.15 am, and then flown by rescue helicopter to Timaru Hospital.
Power was cut to up to 15 properties in the Hanging Rock-Raincliff area until the afternoon.
Mr Jamieson was known as a competent and experienced pilot.
It is understood he was flying low along the riverbed as a guide in the drizzly conditions.
Constable Bruce Ramsay, of Temuka, said the poor visibility would have made it difficult to spot the grey overhead wire.
Yesterday's crash is the latest in a string of aviation accidents involving power and telephone wires which have claimed more than a dozen lives and sparked calls for the lines to be clearly marked.
In March 2000, Queenstown pilot Janey Blair and four American tourists were killed when a helicopter crashed after hitting wires above Lake Manapouri.
- NZPA
