VALDEZ — Officials in Valdez say three people on Wednesday survived a hard landing by a helicopter at the city airport.
City public information officer Allie Hendrickson says a bystander witnessed the Vertical Solutions helicopter landing hard at Pioneer Field Airport and called emergency officials.
An announcement by the Copper Valley Electric Association says two association employees had contracted the helicopter to patrol electricity transmission lines from the air and it took off just before 9:30 a.m.
When the helicopter reached 75 feet, it lost power and fell.
CVEA says the tail section separated from the rest of the helicopter.
The association says its two employees were shaken but not injured. They were to be examined by a doctor.
Hendrickson says there was no damage to airport property or other aircraft.
