Bystanders Help Remove Pilot From Burning Helicopter After Crash In New Hampshire

In this aerial photo released by New Hampshire State Police, the remains of a helicopter that crashed and caught fire are seen on Saturday, June 1, 2024, Danbury, N.H. The pilot, who was not identified, survived the crash. (New Hampshire State Police via AP)
In this aerial photo released by New Hampshire State Police, the remains of a helicopter that crashed and caught fire are seen on Saturday, June 1, 2024, Danbury, N.H. The pilot, who was not identified, survived the crash. (New Hampshire State Police via AP)

DANBURY, N.H. (AP) — People who heard a helicopter crash rushed to the site to help remove the pilot from the burning aircraft in a wooded area in central New Hampshire, police said Sunday.

The Hughes TH-55 helicopter with only the pilot aboard went down Saturday afternoon bout 30 miles (48 kilometers) northwest of the state capital, Concord, and caused a fire that was spreading to the woods before the arrival of firefighters, police said. The pilot was transported to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center with “serious but non life-threatening injuries,” police said.

A National Transportation Safety Board spokesperson said the helicopter will be moved to an offsite facility for further examination as part of its investigation. The pilot was not identified.

The two-seater TH-55 Osage was originally used by the military as a training helicopter, taking flight for the first time in 1956, but many of them have since found their way into civilian use.