Chopper crash near Sarasota 9/11/07

[Master Oil Racing Team]

On the way to the office I heard Fox News reporting a collision between a cigarette boat and a chase chopper off the coast of Sarasota, Fl. There were conflicting reports at the time from witnesses exactly what happened. The chopper was filming the boat when they collided. It was unclear so far whether the chopper and boat came in contact during the filming or if the chopper clipped a wave and hit the water in front of the boat then was hit by the boat on its port side. There was a large debris field and two people were pulled from the water unconscious and one that was conscious. Since then it has been reported that one of those died. Witnesses from the boat should be able to explain what happened once they are interviewed. God bless those that were involved.

[ronus747]

VENICE - A pilot is in critical condition after his helicopter crashed into the Gulf of Mexico this morning about two miles off Casey Key.

The chopper went down during a speedboat magazine shoot. Two passengers on board died shortly after the crash.

Witnesses say the chopper was flying extremely low and appeared to hit the water and the speedboat it was filming. Minutes later the helicopter was under water with three people stuck inside.

It was supposed to be a typical video shoot for powerboat magazine. The aerial film crew and speedboat moving side by side in gulf waters.

"We're told there may have been contact with the boat and helicopter, but we can't confirm that. The helicopter did go into the water and dropped about 20 feet," says Asst. Chief Paul Dezzi of the Sarasota County Fire Dept.

A rescue mission ensued. "When we got to the scene, we found three patients in the water."

All three men were rushed ashore. One died at the scene, another later died at the hospital. The pilot, Mark Watters, was flown to Bayfront Medical Center in critical condition. "It's all very tragic."

There was a model and driver onboard the speedboat. They were not injured in the crash. In fact, the model, who is also an emergency room nurse in Sarasota, dove into the water to try and save the three men on board the helicopter.

"She dove into a hazardous area because she was in diesel fuel. When they got her to land we washed her down because the fuel was on her."

The accident is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board and the Sarasota County Sheriffs Office.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to call the Sarasota County Sheriffs Office at (941) 861 5800.

[Miss BK]

I just got a call that there was a helicopter crash in the Keys today during a Powerboat Magazine shoot. Two people have died and the pilot is in critical condition.

One of those lost was our very own, famed racing photorapher, Tom Newby. :( . The videographer was also killed.

From what I was told, Bob Teague was on board the boat being filmed when the copter went down, and was first on the scene to try and save the victims. Word I got was that he may have actually been able to revive Tom at, but later died on the way to the hospital.

Oh what a terrible, terrible, accident. Tom was such a great guy and a HUGELY talented photographer. I'm just a loss for words right now....

Prayers to them all, and prayers that the pilot recovers fully. God bless all of the Powerboat Mag family. :( :( I'm so stunned.



Model saves lives in deadly copter-boat crash
From http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=4322826&version=22&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1
Last Edited: Tuesday, 11 Sep 2007, 3:33 PM EDT
Created: Tuesday, 11 Sep 2007, 10:08 AM EDT

The view from SkyFox shows wreckage from the crash floating in the waters.

VENICE – A photo shoot turned deadly in the waters near Venice on Tuesday morning when a helicopter crashed, killing two people and injuring another.

Authorities say the copter went down in about 20 feet of water about two miles off of Casey Key Road. That's about six miles northeast of Venice in the Gulf of Mexico.

The helicopter seems to have crashed after a collision with a speedboat in the waters below. The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office says the two vehicles were involved in a photo shoot for Powerboat Magazine when the accident happened.

Deputies say three people were pulled from the water and taken to the shore in Venice. One was pronounced dead there, and the other two were flown to area hospitals for treatment.

Authorities say a second victim later died. The third victim, pilot Mark Watters of Los Angeles, is listed in critical condition at Bayfront Hospital; sources say he may have to have his leg amputated.

Two other people who were aboard the boat that was involved in the accident were not injured.

FOX 13 reporter Ray Collins says one of those onboard the boat was a model, and she may have actually saved the life of the pilot. He says the model also happens to be an emergency room nurse, and she jumped into the water following the crash. She reportedly pulled the pilot to safety and also recovered the body of one of the other victims.

Collins says when the woman got to shore, she was completely covered in fuel and had to be rinsed off.

Crews from the both the Sarasota and Nokomis fire departments responded to the scene of the accident. The Coast Guard also assisted in trying to recover the damaged helicopter from the water.

SkyFox pilot/reporter Randy Powers says he believes the helicopter that crashed is a Bell JetRanger model.

Powers says the boat and the chopper may have gotten so close that they collided, or the chopper may have hit the water and then been hit by the boat. Damage was visible on the left front corner of the red cigarette boat that was involved in the crash.

Neither scenario has been confirmed by authorities.

Powers says cigarette-type boats are frequently used in photo shoots along the water, and helicopters often fly very low and close to the boats to get the shots they're looking for.

Authorities say the Federal Aviation Administration will now take over the investigation into the crash.



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2 dead after helicopter crash off Casey Key

Sep 11, 2007 04:51 PM EDT
http://www.mysuncoast.com/Global/story.asp?S=7056767

VENICE - A pilot is in critical condition after his helicopter crashed into the Gulf of Mexico this morning about two miles off Casey Key.

The chopper went down during a speedboat magazine shoot. Two passengers on board died shortly after the crash.

Witnesses say the chopper was flying extremely low and appeared to hit the water and the speedboat it was filming. Minutes later the helicopter was under water with three people stuck inside.

It was supposed to be a typical video shoot for powerboat magazine. The aerial film crew and speedboat moving side by side in gulf waters.

"We're told there may have been contact with the boat and helicopter, but we can't confirm that. The helicopter did go into the water and dropped about 20 feet," says Asst. Chief Paul Dezzi of the Sarasota County Fire Dept.

A rescue mission ensued. "When we got to the scene, we found three patients in the water."

All three men were rushed ashore. One died at the scene, another later died at the hospital. The pilot, Mark Watters, was flown to Bayfront Medical Center in critical condition. "It's all very tragic."

There was a model and driver onboard the speedboat. They were not injured in the crash. In fact, the model, who is also an emergency room nurse in Sarasota, dove into the water to try and save the three men on board the helicopter.

"She dove into a hazardous area because she was in diesel fuel. When they got her to land we washed her down because the fuel was on her."

The accident is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board and the Sarasota County Sheriffs Office.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to call the Sarasota County Sheriffs Office at (941) 861 5800.

[ronus747]

http://video.mysuncoast.com/global/story.asp?s=7056767

God be with them...

[Miss BK]

Parts of this were taken from Tom's bio in Powerboat magazine...


Top Photographer

Tom Newby joined Powerboat magazine in 1993 and has taken more than 324,000 photos for the magazine as its Chief photographer.

Newby, whose list of clientele includes nearly 40 marine manufacturers, is best known for his breath-taking and exhilarating photography of offshore racing. However, his art can also be seen in corporate literature for Toyota, Volvo America, General Motors, Carl's Junior and numerous others.

Born and raised in Manhattan Beach, Calif., Newby was an avid surfer and scuba diver. As an 18-year-old, Newby crossed the Pacific Ocean in a 31-foot Ketch and mastered all types of boating.

Newby received his bachelor's degree in photography from Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara, Calif. He was a member of Professional Photographers of America and the American Society of Media Photographers.

He and his wife, Jill, have two sons and live in Manhattan Beach, Calif.




RIP, Tom. You will live on forever through all your thousands of breathtaking boating images you shared with us over the years.

Val & Brad

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Amen!