A Bird May Have Been A Factor In The Wing Walker's Fall

Video has surfaced that shows a fairly large bird passing just above the wing of the Stearman biplane where Todd Green was attempting to make a transfer to a helicopter flying above him. Officials are trying to determine if the bird was a factor in the stuntman's fatal fall last weekend.

There is no conclusive evidence that the bird struck Green ... it goes by too fast. But it does raise questions about whether the bird may have distracted Green for an instant, causing him to lose his grip on the helo's landing skid and his balance on the wing.

The person who shot the video, Mike Robinson of Mount Clemens, MI, said he had shown it to "a couple of people" who felt the bird could have been a factor, according to the Journal Register and News. He said he didn't see the bird until he viewed the clip in slow motion, after which he took it to officials in Selfridge, MI. The bird appears to be about the size of a hawk, which are indigenous to the area.

Officials are also looking into the weather conditions at the time of the accident. Winds were reported to be out of the west at 15 mpg gusting to 20. The NTSB is reportedly interviewing witnesses and and a pilot in connection with the accident.

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