Alexandra Gutierrez, KUCB – Unalaska
A helicopter crashed on Unalaska Island on Saturday evening, leaving the pilot dead. Lonnie Kennedy, 48, had just dropped off two passengers and was attempting to take off from Chernofski Point when the helicopter skid caught the ground, causing the helicopter to roll over.
A call reporting the accident was made from the Fort Glenn cattle ranch on Umnak Island – where Kennedy lived and worked – at approximately 6:00 pm. The Coast Guard District 17 Command Center dispatched a response team, which arrived at 8:27 pm. Captain Gary Gray, an Unalaska Public Safety EMT, confirmed that the pilot was deceased. The two witnesses had already departed the area onboard another ranch helicopter.
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