After helicopter crash, Sheriff's Office picking up the pieces

PANAMA CITY — Officials with the Bay County Sheriff’s Office picked up the pieces, literally, of a crashed helicopter at the old Panama City airport and transported it to the agency’s new launch pad at the Emergency Operations Center in Southport Tuesday.

Air 1, a Bell OH58, crashed Friday night while taking off in a hangar at the old airport, officials said. Officials had hoped to use the craft to aid in the search for several young people who had gone missing near Bear Creek. The children were found safe some time after the crash, officials said.

Lt. Larry Kennedy had taken the helicopter about three feet off the ground and was flying forward, out of a large hangar, when the incident happened. Officials believe it’s possible that wind generated by the propeller may have pulled debris into the rotor, or that the blade may have contacted the beam over the hangar door, causing the helicopter to turn over, Maj. Tommy Ford said.

Kennedy and a passenger, deputy Kate Lilley, were banged up but not seriously injured in the crash, Ford said.

The sled used to tow the helicopter out of the hangar had already been transported to the new launch pad along with Air 2, Ford said.

The crash is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board, Ford said. He added that while the department stood behind Kennedy they would also “abide” by the findings of the federal investigators.

Kennedy has 25 years of experience, 5,000 flight hours and was a helicopter pilot for the U.S. Army who flew combat missions in Operation Desert Storm, Ford said. Ford added that he checked with investigators to learn if there are any regulations against flying a helicopter out of a hangar and was told that there are none. Those issues are left at the discretion of the pilot, Ford said.

The Sheriff’s Office still has one other working helicopter, Air 2, Ford said, adding that officials have not yet made the decision on whether or not to replace Air 1.

“If it costs us money, I would say no,” Ford said.

The Sheriff’s Office purchased Air 1 in 1995 from a military surplus auction. The cost was $250, Ford said. Officials had liability insurance on the helicopter but not insurance on the craft itself because of it was prohibitively expensive, Ford added.