Mechanical failure causes helicopter crash near Yakima

Published 1:30 am Saturday, July 30, 2016

Associated Press

YAKIMA — A mechanical failure caused a crop-spraying helicopter to crash in Yakima County, igniting a small grass fire.

The Yakima Herald-Republic reported that the helicopter crashed Friday south of Outlook and ignited a blaze that burned 1.5 acres of grass before firefighters from Yakima County Fire District 5 extinguished the flames.

J.R. Helicopters, of Umatilla, Oregon, owned the helicopter which was destroyed.

J.R. Helicopters officials said the pilot, who was injured in the crash, was an experienced agricultural flyer. The pilot has since been released from a hospital.