Transportation Safety Board inspecting situation, which left one more worker seriously hurt

A helicopter rotating out of control in northern B.C. killed one worker and extremely injured another over the weekend, federal regulators said.

The Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday it is inspecting a May 6 incident at Smithers Airport.

Spokesperson Liam MacDonald said the catastrophe happened during maintenance work on the helicopter. The craft’s engine was on and it started an uncontrollable yaw, or rotation.

As it spun, it struck two people on the ground.

“The pilot was able to blackout the engine and put the helicopter up right,” said MacDonald.

“But inappropriately one of the maintenance workers was seriously injured and the other received serious injuries and was airlifted to hospital for treatment.”

The aircraft belonged to Mustang Helicopters. The company’s head, Frederic Allard, declined to comment on the happening when reached by phone, citing the ongoing TSB search.

MacDonald described the study as one with “low difficulty” and findings usually applicable only to the incident itself.

WorkSafeBC said it is not involved in the inquiry as it is under federal jurisdiction.

MacDonald said the objective is to conclude the inquiry within about seven months.