Night Collision Between Bonanza, R22 Causes Minor Injuries

ANN is thankful to report that a collision between a Beechcraft Bonanza and a Robinson R22 near Rio Vista Municipal Airport in California Sunday night produced an unusual result for a mid-air - no fatalities. KTXL-TV reports the R22 came down in a field on Sherman Island, while the plane made it 30 more miles, and landed at the Byron airport.

The Sacramento County Sheriff's department confirms both pilots were taken to hospitals. The instructor of the helicopter pilot said the student was logging solo, night hours toward her commercial helicopter certificate. He praised her performance after the impact, and described her as shaken up, but OK after extricating herself from the wreckage. (Similar aircraft shown in file photo.)

Police added her injuries were confined to cuts to her hands. There was no immediate word on injuries suffered by the airplane pilot, only that they were "minor."

The first 911 calls notifying responders of the helicopter's crash came in at 1850 PST. FAA is assisting the NTSB on the investigation. Neither pilot's name had been released as of our deadline, but KTXL reports the plane is registered to an owner in Brentwood, and the helicopter is owned by Vertical CFI Helicopters, a flight school based in Hayward, CA.

FMI: http://verticalcfi.com/