Helicopter Crash, Pilot Uninjured. Northern Iowa

Helicopter crash

MASON CITY, IA-One man is counting his blessings tonight - walking away unharmed after crashing his helicopter.

25 year old Joseph Sailer from Shakopee hit a power line while crop dusting near Joice.

He crashed into the field.

Those responding to the scene are still talking about how lucky he is to have walked away with only a few scratches.

When see what's left of the wreckage, you'll have a hard to believing it, as well!

Dispatchers got a 9-1-1 call Monday morning that a helicopter crashed in Joice.

There's one main thought for law enforcers responding to the scene.

Worth County Sheriff Jay Langenbau said, "you don't see too many, especially do not see too many people walking away from it.”

As they arrived, no one could exactly pin-point where the chopper went down. That’s when they got some surprising news

Langenbau said, "Then we got a call that the pilot had walked out and someone picked him up and brought him into town."

25 year old Joseph Sailer walked away from this helicopter.

He was crop dusting when he hit a power line.

That sent him crashing right into a corn field he was working.

Langenbau said, "He's fine, walking. More mad about what happened to the helicopter then what happened to him."

The sheriff says flying helicopters for spraying crops is not that un-common.

In fact, he says airplanes usually fly at around 100 miles per hour and helicopters at only 50.

Choppers fly slower than planes, and some say that's what makes them more capable of doing the job well.

He said, "Helicopters can do a little bit different things then planes can, they can get a little bit lower and be more precise on where they are going."

Unfortunately this aircraft will no longer be making any rounds but everyone who's seen what's left is just relieved nobody's hurt.

Langenbau said, "He's not injured; he walked away from it and just got sprayed down to make sure all the chemicals were off him."

Sailer was still at the scene when we arrived. He told us he did not feel like talking about what happened this morning.

Meanwhile, the FAA is still investigating the crash.

The Sheriff tells us they're the ones who decide if anyone gets fined. He said any crop or power line damages would be more of a civil issue. The power did go out for a while around Joice, but everything is back up and running now.

Source:  http://www.kimt.com