A helicopter crash occurred in Danbury, New Hampshire on June 1, 2024, at around 12:45 p.m., near a residential property located at 208 Dean Road. The pilot was the only occupant of the helicopter and sustained injuries but was conscious and alert after the crash. Witnesses who heard the crash went to the scene and helped remove the pilot from the burning helicopter before emergency responders arrived, saving his life.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) identified the helicopter as a Hughes TH-55, which is a two-seater training helicopter that was first flown in 1956. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead the investigation into the crash's circumstances, and preliminary reports suggest that the pilot lost control near a landing site and crashed into the wooded area of the property.
The helicopter caught fire upon impact, spreading to nearby woods. Firefighters were able to put out the fire. The FAA reported that there were no other people on board, and all parties involved have been accounted for.
The pilot was taken to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire for treatment of serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The Danbury Police Department is asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has additional information to contact them.
This marks the second helicopter crash in New Hampshire within a week. On May 28, 2024, a helicopter crashed near Mount Monadnock in Jaffrey, resulting in fatalities. The circumstances of that crash are still under investigation by the NTSB and FAA.
The Danbury Police Department and the New Hampshire State Police are currently investigating this incident with assistance from the FAA and NTSB.