The pilot of a helicopter that crashed into a forested area near Nanoose Bay was flown Thursday afternoon by air ambulance to hospital in Victoria.
The man received serious but non-life-threatening injuries in the crash, which happened about 12:30 p.m., Nanaimo RCMP Const. Gary O’Brien said. The man received a knock to the head as a result of the crash, he said.
The blades of the helicopter hit the ground and the aircraft crashed about five or six kilometres west of Highway 19, said O’Brien, adding wind may have played a role. Environment Canada’s forecast for the Nanaimo area was for winds gusting up to 30 to 40 kilometres per hour.
The pilot was the only person in the Bell Jet Ranger, which was being used for private-sector forestry work. A mechanic on the ground was working with the pilot, and was able to pull him out of the helicopter, O’Brien said. RCMP, fire departments and ambulances services all went to the scene.
