Wreckage removed from chopper crash
<p>The wreckage of this helicopter that crashed Saturday was removed Monday by Taylor Services of Thompson Falls.</p>
The remains of a helicopter that crashed Saturday near Thompson Falls, killing the pilot and injuring two passengers, was removed Monday
The crash site was about 1/4 mile south of the Prospect Creek Road in heavy timber. The helicopter ended up upside-down against the base of a 24-inch Douglas Fir.
The wreckage later was rolled over and moved away from the tree for a planned retrieval by another helicopter.
When that plan was canceled, Steve Taylor of Taylor Services of Thompson Falls used an excavator to remove the downed chopper in three loads: the main section, the tail and a netted bundle of parts and debris.
Taylor carted the pieces out and lifted them across the creek to be loaded on a flatbed trailer.
The crash killed pilot Todd Hanawalt, 35, of Bozeman. Hanawalt was flying the craft on a survey of power lines.
About 30 people from the U.S. Forest Service, Thompson Falls City Fire Department, Thompson Falls Rural Fire Department, the Sanders County Sheriff’s Office and Sanders County Search and Rescue responded to the crash Saturday afternoon.