Elba, N.Y. (WBEN) - National Transportation Safety Board Air Safety Investigator Aaron McCarter arrived on scene early Wednesday to investigate the cause of Tuesday's Mercy Flight helicopter crash in Elba, which claimed two lives.
"In 10 days, I will be completing a preliminary report," said McCarter during his briefing at the intersection of Norton Road and Edgerton Road.
The factual report, according to McCarter, will approximately take 12 months, followed by the probable cause, which will be signed by the Transportation Safety Board members.
The investigators project the time on the scene will be approximately 3-5 days before they transport the helicopter debris to a facility in Clayton, Delaware, where they can get a closer look at the Bell 429 aircraft.
"The accident scene is not very conducive to conducting a thorough, on-scene investigation. The mud is about six inches deep. The wreckage is spread out over an area of about 2,000 feet from beginning to end with the main portion of the wreckage behind me fairly intact, although several damaged," McCarter said. "So the wreckage will be transported back to this facility down in Clayton, Deleware where we will do, basically, a two-dimensional assembly of it on a hangar floor. It can assist us in determining how the helicopter came apart and what happened first."
The two victims, 60-year-old National Guard and Mercy Flight pilot James Sauer and Bell Helicopter instructor Stewart Dietrick - also 60 - were in the helicopter, departing from the Genesee County Airport, doing routine training. Witnesses heard a boom and saw the helicopter fall.
According to McCarter, eye-witnesses described seeing the helicopter appearing and sounding like there were potential mechanical issues. Investigators are looking into the history of the helicopter's maintenance.
You can listen to Wednesday's entire press briefing in the player below:
