Crash helicoper pilot 'a hero'HEATHER SIMPSON
Last updated 11:37 07/07/2014
INJURED: Grant McCallum is the owner of Cloudy Bay Helicopters.
FLUNG CLEAR: An injured Sam Kersten remains in serious condition in hospital.
The heroic actions of a Blenheim pilot injured in yesterday's helicopter crash near Ward saved his and his passenger's life, an eyewitness says.
Pilot Grant McCallum and passenger Sam Kersten were injured when the White Hughes 300 helicopter McCallum was piloting crashed into a gully on a farm at Grassmere, near Ward just before 9am yesterday.
McCallum is the owner of Cloudy Bay Helicopters and Kersten is a father-of-two living in Blenheim.
The men had been heli-hunting for deer and pig on "a beautiful, crisp clear day" and were joined by two hunters on the ground in a utility vehicle.
One of the hunters Tim Smit said McCallum's ''heroic actions saved two lives''.
The helicopter was about to pick up Kersten when the crash happened, Smit said.
''Sam was on the ground and Grant had come down (in the helicopter) to pick him up. Sam approached the chopper and climbed on the skid. Grant didn't expect his sudden weight and the chopper was destabilised.
''Grant had two choices either pull the helicopter down the hill and risk Sam dropping a significant distance or steer the chopper into the side of the hill.
"He thought of Sam and his young family and made the latter choice to save Sam."
Kersten was thrown 5m from the helicopter and landed head down in a briar bush.
McCallum who had been wearing his helmet was knocked unconscious for a short time from a knock to the head on impact.
Smit said when McCallum came around the helicopter's motor was still running and the injured pilot managed to drag himself out of the helicopter.
''He hauled himself out of the cab and leant against the outside of the chopper which is no mean feat. There was a lot of aviation gas about and to reduce the risk of fire he managed to disconnect the battery.
"When we arrived he was leaning against the chopper.''
Smit said weather was not a factor. ''There was no fog at all. It was a beautiful crisp, clear day, the conditions could not have been better for flying."
The two injured men were airlifted to Wellington Hospital. Kersten remains in a serious condition in hospital and McCallum is in a stable condition.
www.stuff.co.nz/national/10240339/Crash-helicoper-pilot-a-hero
