Pilot hurt in chopper crash

A helicopter pilot has walked away from a crash that brought down power lines on State Highway 1, north of Taupo¯.

Emergency Services were called to the crash near Maroa Rd, at Atiamuri, at 1.50pm yesterday.

The pilot – the sole occupant – was out of the chopper and walking around by the time Fire and Emergency Services arrived, communications shift manager Craig Dally said.

He was then transported to Rotorua Hospital with moderate injuries.

Senior Sergeant Fane Troy said the man was left with leg injuries following the crash, which occurred while he was doing aerial spraying in the area.

Work Safe and the CCA had both been informed of the crash and would be investigating.

The sight of the downed chopper, which could be seen from SH1, gave one passing driver a fright.

‘‘It was upside down,’’ said the woman, who did not want her name used. ‘‘There was quite a bit of debris around it.’’

The crashed helicopter was on a hillside in a dairy farm and she could see a few people standing around in the paddock.

A second helicopter had landed on flat ground nearer the road.

Fire engines were everywhere, but most of them were at a scrub fire further up the road, she said.

Taupo¯ assistant fire commander, Richard Anastasi, said the falling power lines had sparked a small fire in about 100 square metres of grass, about two metres from the crash scene.

It was quickly extinguished. Traffic management was put in place while emergency services worked at the scene.

‘‘It was upside down. There was quite a bit of debris around it.’’ Witness