MIFFLIN TOWNSHIP, COLUMBIA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)— Police in Columbia County tell 28/22 News the Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a fatal helicopter crash.
First responders were called to a reported helicopter crash in Mifflin Township, Columbia County around 9:45 a.m. Saturday morning.
The Columbia County Communications Center told 28/22 News first responders were called to the 100 block of Mifflin X Road, for a helicopter crash with initial reports of entrapment.
The Columbia County Coroner says 39-year-old Theodore Farwell of Orangeville was crop dusting a field of crops at the time when he crashed.
Farwell was pulled from the wreckage by bystanders and first responders and was later pronounced dead at the scene.
An electrical line was struck during the crash which knocked out power to 18 PPL customers and triggered a small fire that was quickly put out.
28/22 News spoke with a man who witnessed what happened.
“I went out sat on my glider then shortly after the airplane was riding around a helicopter came in to start crop dusting and I sat on my glider and I saw it thought he was pretty damn low so I started taking pictures and it happened, and I just knew — I just knew when I was sitting there I said to myself, ‘hers gonna crash.'”
An autopsy on the victim is scheduled for Monday. Mifflin X Road was closed for a time but is now open to traffic.
Mifflin X Road has been closed as crews work the scene.
