Helicopter Crash Kills Two

A Bell 206-L1 LongRanger crashed March 30 about 25 miles north of Biloxi, Miss., at approximately 3 p.m.. The accident killed the pilot and two other occupants, while a third passenger was seriously injured. The helicopter was operating as a contract flight for the U.S. Forest Service to manage a series of controlled burns over approximately 800 acres in the DeSoto National Forest. A witness to the crash told authorities he thought the helicopter was just landing and he did not notice any signs of distress. A post-crash fire destroyed the helicopter.