TWO SURVIVE COPTER CRASH

Pilot's Fast Thinking, Flying Expertise Credited.

It could be weeks before investigators know what caused the tail rotor of a
Missouri Highway Patrol helicopter to rip off Wednesday, causing it to
crash in a patch of grass beside U.S. 65.

The two sergeants on board - pilot David Callaway and Matt Funderburk of
the patrol's marijuana eradication effort - were injured, but authorities
said the injuries weren't life-threatening.

Though several witnesses were adamant that they saw a bird crash into the
tail of the helicopter, investigators didn't find any evidence of that at
or near the scene.

"Right now it's pointing to a mechanical problem," said patrol Lt. Terry
Moore. "What the witnesses may have seen is parts of the aircraft falling."

There weren't any feathers or remains of a bird. And there were no markings
on the aircraft, a 1968 Hughes military helicopter the patrol obtained
nearly 10 years ago.

While it's too early to definitively cite a mechanical malfunction or a
bird as cause of the crash, witnesses say they are sure that what Callaway
did in the air deserves recognition. Nearly a dozen people, who saw the
plummeting helicopter while driving or working nearby, said the pilot was
able to steer the aircraft away from power lines and businesses and 65
packed with mid-morning traffic.

"He was fighting real hard," said Pete Boland, who was working on a
landscaping project across the highway when he saw the helicopter lose
control about 10:30 a.m.

"He was fighting to keep it under control. He definitely kept it from
crashing on the highway ... We just watched in horror and disbelief."

A 17-year patrol veteran and experienced pilot, Callaway didn't have time
to radio the patrol that he was having trouble. Moore said the aircraft
wasn't high because it had just taken off from the Downtown Airport, about
a mile from the crash site. When the rotor tail ripped off, Callaway had to
think fast.

First, he turned sharply to avoid the side of the Pure-Flo Precision
building and dodged a power line. Then he crossed 65 and turned back,
heading toward the grassy margin between the highway and a chainlink fence
around the 3M plant.

"He had several hurdles to overcome. He was able to overcome them all. Dave
is an outstanding pilot," Moore said. "It was nothing short of experience
and the grace of God."

Searching for drugs

The two were headed to a county in the southwest corner of the state.
Callaway would pilot the day's marijuana eradication venture, while
Funderburk scanned the ground below for the distinctive green.

For several weeks, the patrol has been working eradication, busting
marijuana growers across the state. On Wednesday, they went up in the
helicopter known in patrol circles as 98MP, its aircraft number. It is one
of few old military aircraft the agency still uses and was here because
Troop D's aircraft was being repaired.

As for the 98MP, patrol officers said it was thoroughly inspected and
repaired less than two weeks ago. On top of extensive maintenance, each
aircraft is inspected about every 25 flight-time hours, said Lt. Greg Word,
who heads the patrol's aircraft division.

The rotor ripped apart just over a line of several trees, next to a
northbound Fantastic Cavern sign along U.S. 65.

Paul Robertson heard the helicopter overhead as he was walking across the
parking lot of Pure-Flo Precision, where he's a grinder.

"I looked up and saw he was real low and saw he was fluttering around,"
Robertson said.

He ran inside Pure-Flo Precision, and told his co-workers to call 911.

Impact imminent

From that point, Callaway had drawn a crowd of onlookers from the highway
and nearby fields and businesses.

As soon as the helicopter crossed the treetops, witnesses say they heard a
loud pop. One man said it was similar to a "car hitting a wall."

After the noise, Callaway was able to steer the helicopter away from
Pure-Flo Precision.

"I thought it was going to hit the building but he managed to miss it,"
said Tom Kershner, who works with Robertson.

Robertson and Kershner said there were 200 guys, gases and welding
equipment in the building at the time of the crash.

The helicopter kept descending, said Colt Youngblood, who was working with
Boland across 65.

"He was coming at us at a strong descent," Youngblood said. "The helicopter
started spinning. ... The whole time the helicopter was spinning, he was
keeping it off the highway."

Robertson said once the copter crashed, drivers pulled off the highway and
workers from the factory ran out to help the troopers.

They were greeted with the sight of the army-green helicopter, about the
size of a large pickup, tilted on its bottom left side in the neatly
cropped grass. The left landing ski was crushed beneath it, and green fluid
oozed from the damaged hull.

The four blades of the chopper were bent but intact, and a three-foot patch
of exposed earth showed a few feet from the wreck, where the blades had
hacked away the grass.

"The passenger was lying on his back and the pilot was sitting up on the
ditch - the pilot was complaining about his back," Robertson said. "The
pilot was worse off by far."

Looking for a cause

Word was in his Jefferson City office talking on the phone with the other
full-time pilot for Troop D, Ed Thurman. They were talking about future
work when he heard commotion on the other end.

A few seconds later, Thurman said into the phone: "98MP just went down."

"What do you mean, went down?" Word asked.

"It went down off site," Thurman answered.

Less than four hours later, Word was at the crash site taking notes and
talking to witnesses. Because the helicopter is a public-use aircraft, it
does not have to be certified through the Federal Aviation Administration.
Therefore, the patrol is investigating the case instead of federal
investigators.

Though he had yet to speak with Callaway or Fundberburk, Word said from
what he saw, the pilot did exactly what he was trained to do if a tail
rotor goes out.

"I don't think you would find any fault with what he did. ... He recognized
the issue he had. He had the best control of the aircraft he could have,"
Word said. "The ol' saying goes, 'When you walk away from a landing, that's
a safe landing.' The aircraft may be damaged, but he walked away."

A tail rotor, Word said, is the component of a helicopter that maintains
balance and keeps the aircraft from spinning. He said it's possible to land
a helicopter without a tail rotor, but the vehicle loses its thrust, weight
and balance.

"When he touched down, he was not spinning," Word said. "He did a good job."

Witnesses say they are still amazed that Callaway was able to maneuver the
aircraft like he did.

"They must have had someone on their shoulder," Robertson said.