Pilot identified in Washington county crop duster crash near Blair, Nebraska
Emergency crews responded to area west of Blair Municipal Airport
Emergency crews responded to area west of Blair Municipal Airport
Emergency crews responded to area west of Blair Municipal Airport
A Michigan man was injured after a helicopter crash in Washington County, Nebraska.
Authorities confirmed Angelo Resendez, 46, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, was the pilot of the helicopter that crashed west of the Blair Municipal Airport.
Investigators said the call to respond to the emergency came after 4 p.m. Saturday.
Officials said Resendez was the only person inside the helicopter when it crashed near County Road 33 and County Road 38.
A medical helicopter arrived on the scene -- investigators said Resendez suffered minor injuries and reported feeling some pain.
"He was complaining of the pain. (But he was) still conscious, alert, breathing, talking to us," said Sgt. Brian Beckman, with the Washington County Sheriff's Office.
Still, Beckman said Resendez was flown to an area hospital for treatment.
"We've had some bad (helicopter crashes) in the county before with the fatalities, and this guy here is a very lucky man," said Beckman.
The Washington County Sheriff's Office said the crop duster crashed into a cornfield - investigators said it got too close to the ground as it actively dusted.
Beckman said crews found it tough to first get to Resendez because of trenches in the cornfield.
"You can't see anything from out here, and just to get somebody to coordinate exactly where he was at was our hardest part," Beckman said. "And that couldn't have taken us much more than half-an-hour to actually get to him and find him."
Beckman said crews did get the pilot out quickly.
Beckman also said the situation could have been worse because many helicopter crash victims do not survive.
Officials said the Federal Aviation Administration will start its own investigation into the crash.