North Texas Daily

Update 3:35 p.m.

Staff Reports

The FAA is still investigating the Denton County flight school helicopter crash that happened Wednesday afternoon, hospitalizing the pilot and injuring the co-pilot. The names of the pilots have not yet been released.

The pilot, who was the student, was flown to Medical Center of Plano with lower back injuries. The co-pilot, who was the instructor, was flown to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Denton with a broken arm.

The helicopter lost power mid-flight. The instructor took control of the aircraft, trying to land it in a pasture, but came up short, Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Lonny Haschel said.

The North Texas Daily is following the story. Updates will be posted as they are made available.

Original Post

Rhiannon Saegert / News Editor

A helicopter crashed onto part of the Robson Ranch retirement community Wednesday afternoon, leaving both pilots seriously injured.

Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Lonny Haschel said Denton 911 dispatch received a call about the crash at 2:17 p.m. The helicopter, an Enstrom F-28F, crashed north of Robson Ranch Road and west of Interstate 35 W.

The student and instructor, both from Longhorn Helicopters Incorporated flight school, were practicing flight maneuvers before the crash.

“The aircraft experienced engine power loss. The instructor pilot took over,” Haschel said. “They did their best to try to get that thing on the ground in a pasture area, but came up short and landed in the treeline.”

The student pilot was flown to the Medical Center of Plano and the instructor was flown to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Denton.

Haschel said the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will continue the investigation.

Staff Reports

Two were injured Wednesday afternoon when a helicopter crashed in Robson Ranch in Denton near the Municipal Airport.

The flight was a training exercise. The pilot, who was sent to Plano Medical Center via Careflight, was the student and complained of back pain. The co-pilot, the instructor, suffered a broken arm.

The names of the pilots have not yet been released.

Featured Image: A flight student and instructor crashed a helicopter at Robson Ranch at rough 3 p.m. on Wednesday. The student was flying and complained of back pain. Photos courtesy of Officer Shane Kizer Denton Police.