Pilot killed in Oregon crash appeared on ‘Ax Men’

SALEM, Ore. — The helicopter pilot who was killed while attempting to lift a load of logs in a forest near Detroit had appeared in the TV series “Ax Men.”

KPTV-TV reported William Bart Colantuono appeared in season three of the show. Producers issued a statement of condolences to the family and friends of the 54-year-old from Indialantic, Fla.

Federal investigators are trying to determine the cause of Monday’s crash. Witnesses told Linn County deputies the pilot released the logs before crashing, indicating he knew of a problem. Witnesses said they also saw a rotor separate from the copter before it flipped and crashed upside down.

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Information from: KPTV-TV, http://www.kptv.com/

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