Posted on 11/05/2018 4:48:34 AM PST by Ronald_Magnus
A newlywed couple died in a helicopter crash late Saturday in Texas — shortly after their wedding ceremony.
Will Byler, of Bellville, and Bailee Ackerman, of Orangefield, were killed "as they flew off in the family helicopter" as they left their "fairy tale wedding," a family friend wrote in a Facebook post. The pilot also reportedly died.
The wedding took place at a family ranch, the groom's grandfather, William Byler, told KTRK. The crash unfolded about an hour and a half later, the station reported.
"Sadly they crashed into the side of a hill about a mile from the family ranch," the post read. "The pilot, Jerry was also on board. There were no survivors!"
The crash was confirmed by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), who tweeted on Sunday morning that investigators were looking into the crash of a Bell 206B helicopter in Uvalde, a city roughly 80 miles west of San Antonio.
The two were students at Sam Houston State University, according to the student newspaper, which wrote about their deaths on Facebook.
"It is with deepest sadness that we announce the tragic passing of two Bearkats Will Byler (Agriculture Engineering senior) and Bailee Ackerman Byler (Agricultural Communication senior) in a helicopter accident departing their wedding," The Houstonian paper wrote.
Several agencies reportedly aided in rescue efforts following the crash, and the wreck was discovered Sunday morning.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
https://abc13.com/texas-newlyweds-die-in-helicopter-crash-after-tying-knot/4618311/
hyperlink to the video:
https://abc13.com/texas-newlyweds-die-in-helicopter-crash-after-tying-knot/4618311/
I am so sorry to hear that. Their families went from joy to grief in just a couple of hours, and a young couple will never have the chance to live their lives, to have children, and to grow old together.
So very sad.
Should have taken the F-350 King Ranch.
RIP.
I’ll stick to ground transportation, thanks.
And I’ll drive.
What a shame
As others have noted, wouldn't be a surprise if the pilot was OUI.
He was the first one to arrive at the scene of the crash ...
Does anyone else think the pilot was foolish to spin the craft while so close to that tree?
...
That did look very close, and I agree with your theory.
I haven't been in a helicopter since 1970 and don't ever intend to get in one again. Some years ago (20+) I met a guy who was a real enthusiast and a combat pilot in Viet Nam. He owned one running huey and another as an organ donor to keep it running. He was always offering to take people for a ride, but everyone who actually knew him turned him down because he'd had a triple bypass and was grossly over weight. He had a job as a pilot for one of the county sheriff's departments and for years I wondered how he could keep his pilots license with his medical condition until a lawyer acquaintance who represented various helicopter companies in civil actions told me the to fly for the government you don't have to pass the physical requirements.
Point of this long winded story is that I wonder if the pilot had a heart attack. Most Viet Nam vets are well into their 70s or older, and a number of my acquaintances from that time have since died - several from heart attacks.
Hubby loves helicopters. He flew on them all the time as Incident Commander on fires before he retired. I just did my first helicopter ride on the volcano/waterfall tour in Hawaii. Had an excellent gal pilot. Couldn’t even tell we were moving.
Apparently the pilot was awaiting the birth of a grandchild the same day.
It does lend some credence to the idea that perhaps his
celebration started early. But we’ll have to wait and see.
Please keep us posted, Ronald.
Big Island, Kona side?
More likely the elderly pilot had a medical emergency. A mayday call was put out before the crash. Horrible tragedy. May they Rest in peace.. God comfort their family and friends.
Guess not he didnt hit it
Guy at 16 seconds jinxed the flight,Her dress will catch on fire”
Jet engine injected crap from the fire works
So very sad.
RIP, newlyweds.
Prayers.
I’m sure the coroner and or FAA will be very interested in the pilot’s blood alcohol content.
Hubby did the helicopter rides on both Kauai and Maui.
I looked at the great pics he took :-)
I'm going with pilot error due to overconfidence for several reasons. As others have pointed out, he maneuvered very close to an obstacle. He also performed the rotation maneuver immediately upon transitioning into a hover. You could argue he should have established the ground effect hover for another second or so. A confident pilot is willing to perform several things at once... He seemed to start transitioning into horizontal flight before gaining very much altitude - again a sign of someone very familiar with his aircraft and it's handling. He was doing all this at night, which is considered a weather condition - instrument flight rules. Flying IFR requires a little more concentration and work. Taken all together this looks like a pilot who was good, maybe even very good, but who made a series of decisions based on that experience and confidence that ultimately led to a fatal mishap.
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