Sky9 Makes Hard Landing
PACOIMA (CBS) — CBS 2/KCAL 9's Sky9 made a hard landing on a runway at Whiteman Airport in Pacoima Friday when its engine failed one minute after takeoff.
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KNX 1070's Pete Demetriou Reports
Pilot Derek Bell and cameraman Chris Haug quickly returned to Whiteman for an emergency landing. As part of the emergency landing procedure, Bell flared the chopper (nose up) to slow it down and hit the tail boom against the runway, resulting in the tail boom coming off, according to CBS 2/KCAL 9 News Director Scott Diener.
Neither Bell or Haug were injured, but it was unknown what caused the engine to fail. Diener said Bell and Haug even asked if they should go up in the other chopper to complete their shifts.
Aerial footage from Sky2 showed Sky9's damaged tail rotor.
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