Authorities identify man killed in Callaway County helicopter crash
UPDATE 8:20 P.M.: The Callaway County Sheriff’s Office identified the victim from Wednesday’s helicopter crash as Charles Prather, 47, of St. Peters. Authorities said Prather was the only person on board.
UPDATE 6:18 P.M.: Callway County Sheriff Clay Chism said recovery operations have ceased because authorities have confirmed only one person was on the helicopter.
Chism at a news conference said his office has not been able to contact next of kin and will not release the crash victim’s identity until authorities can get in touch with family members. He said the victim is not a Callaway County resident. The office has been in contact with the helicopter’s owner, who was not on board.
The helicopter did not take off or land in Callaway County, Chism said.
Federal authorities will take over the scene Thursday morning. Those officials will determine the cause of the crash.
Witnesses indicated a power failure of some kind led to the crash, Chism said. The crash happened in a remote area and the site was contained, he said.
UPDATE 4:49 P.M.: One person was killed in a helicopter crash Wednesday afternoon in Callaway County, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
Deputies were notified of the crash at 2:28 p.m., according to the release. Deputies talked to several people who said they saw the helicopter in distress and watched it go down. Initial reports said the crash happened in the area of county roads 101 and 108, but the helicopter was found at 3:15 p.m. in a remote area north of Bartley Lane. Local authorities have contacted the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA for a federal investigation and response.
The sheriff’s office did not initially release the victim’s name.
Several local and state agencies helped in the search.
ORIGINAL: Authorities have found a downed helicopter at Potawatomi Offroad Park, off Bartley Lane outside of Fulton.
Callaway County Sheriff Clay Chism said deputies are investigating the crash. First responders had received several reports from residents about a downed aircraft and an emergency search was underway, Chism said.
The entrance to Potawatomi Offroad Park is blocked. The crash happened a considerable distance from the road, Chism said.
Authorities have not released information about how many people were on the helicopter or the extent of their injuries.
Look for more on this developing story.
