Rating:

0.0 (0 votes)

BILLINGS - A preliminary report on last month's small airplane crash at Billings Logan International Airport points to rotor wash from a nearby helicopter as a probable cause.

The report from the National Transportation Safety Board says the pilot of the small plane reported that as his airplane was touching down on a flight from Laurel he saw a helicopter near the left edge of the runway moving towards him.

The pilot said that when his plane passed under the helicopter, the downward wind from the helicopter rotors slammed the left wing of his plane to the ground.

When the pilot attempted to regain control, he says his Piper Cub veered out of control to the right side of the runway. The plane's main landing gear collapsed in the crash and the fuselage was twisted.

Pilot Brian Kjensmo of Park City and passenger Mark Robinson of Billings suffered minor injuries in the accident.