MIFFLIN TWP., COLUMBIA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Investigators have released the probable cause of a helicopter crash in Columbia County that left the pilot dead.
First responders were called to a reported helicopter crash in the 100 block of Mifflin X Road in Mifflin Township on August 12, 2023.
According to the Aviation Investigation Final Report, the pilot, 39-year-old Theodore Farwell, of Orangeville, was crop dusting a field at the time of the crash.
An electrical line was struck during the crash, triggering a small fire. Investigators believe the helicopter impacted the powerline while maneuvering at low level above the corn field.
Farwell was pulled from the wreckage by bystanders and was later pronounced dead at the scene.
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Officials stated that a post-accident autopsy of Farwell's remains identified cardiovascular disease that would have increased his risk of experiencing an incapacitating cardiac event, such as arrhythmia, chest pain, or heart attack.
The autopsy did not provide specific evidence that a cardiac event occurred; however, an event such as this would also not leave evidence.
"Whether the pilot was incapacitated to some degree by a cardiac event that preceded the wire strike could not be determined," as stated in the Aviation Investigation Final Report.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of the crash was Farwell's failure to see and avoid the powerline during the flight.
