A fighter jet pilot crashed a Utah National Guard helicopter after spending just 35 minutes in a flight simulator, Fox 13 News reports.
The outlet obtained the investigative report on the Feb. 12 accident through a public records request. The report details how the accident happened, involving an unnamed colonel.
The colonel flew to South Valley Regional Airport in West Jordan, Utah, for a test flight in February. He was accompanied by a Chief Warrant Officer. FOX 13 wrote, citing the investigative report.
Former Fox 13 Article The February crash said it was an “AH-64 Apache Longbow Helicopter,” a type of attack helicopter.
At the tail end of their 90-minute flight, the colonel attempted to hover and land but was unable to. FOX 13 cited the investigative report as reporting that the man panicked and used a flight maneuver inappropriate for a helicopter.
The media outlet reported that the helicopter fell 10 feet above the ground before the chief warrant officer could reach the controls.
While the chief warrant officer escaped with minor injuries, the colonel “suffered serious, though not life-threatening injuries, requiring surgical intervention and rehabilitation services,” FOX 13 wrote, citing the investigative report.
The investigative report also said it was the chief warrant officer’s “overconfidence” that led to “inadequate aircraft flight control management and inadequate altitude selection with an inappropriate person at flight control of the helicopter,” according to FOX 13.
A previous FOX 13 article reported that the helicopter was extensively damaged in the crash.
A National Guard representative did not immediately respond to Business Insider’s request for comment sent outside regular business hours.
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