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Owner of both choppers that crashed into Lake Apopka says 'mirror-like' surface to blame

Owner of both choppers that crashed into Lake Apopka says 'mirror-like' surface to blame
STORY OUT OF ORANGE COUY.NT CREWS RECOVERING DEBRIS AFTER YESTERDAY’S HELICOPTER CRASH AT LAKE APOPKA HAVE RECOVERED ANOTHER HELICOPTER IN THE LAKE. MICHELLE: VIDEO SHOWS ONE OF THOSE HELICOPTERS BEING TOWED TO SHORE. ATWH ARE OFFICIALS SAYING ABOUT THIS SECOND CHOPPER? AMANDA: I JUST HEARD FROM THE FA A, AND THEY TELL ME THAT NOT ONE BUT TWO HELICOPTERS CRASHED SEPARATELY HERE ON LAKE APOPKA YESTERDAY IN APPROXIMATELY THE SAME AREA. THE FIRST WENT DOWN AS 7:15 YESTERDAY MORNING. YOU SAW THAT REPORTED HERE ON WESH TWO NEWS THE SENDCO WENT DOWN AROUND 6:45 LAST NIGHT. THE PILOTS OF BOTH CHOPPERS WERE SAFE AND BOTH CRASHES WERE REPORTED TO THE FAA. BUT THE DISCOVERY OF THE WRECKAGE OF THAT SECOND CHOPPER SEEMED TO CATCH THE CREW RECOVERING THAT WRECKAGE A TNDHE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT BY SURPRISE. JUST ABOUT A HALF HOUR AGO, THE WRECKAGE OF THE FIRST HELICOPTER THAT CRASHED WAS TOWED AWAY ON A FLATBED TRLEAIR. IT WAS BADLY MANGLED. THE TAIL WAS CUT OFF AND THE ROTOR DESTROYED. WE ARE NOT SECOND -- WE ARE NOT CERTAIN WHERE THE WRECKAGE OF THE SECOND HELICOPTER IS TONIGHT. THE DISCOVERY OF THAT SECOND HELICOPTER WAS MADE TODAY AS SALVAGE CREWS WERE WORKING TO RETRIEVE THE WRECKAGE OF THE FIRST. RESIDENTS OF THIS AREA WERE STUNNED TO LEARNWO T CHOPPERS HAD GONE DOWN. >> LIKE I SAY, I’VE LIVED ON THIS LAKE FOR 30 YEARS, AND WE'V’ NEVER HAD ANY INCIDENTS LIKE THIS WHERE YOU HAVE, ESPECIALLY TWO HELICOPTERS GO DOWN IN ONE DAY. IT IS KIND OF WEIRD. AMANDA: WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE CRASH OF THE FIRST HELICOPTER IS THAT IT WAS PART OF A REGULAR OPERATION TO SPRAY HERBICIDEN O THE LAKE TO HELP REDUCE THE GROWTH OF INVASIVE PLANTS, AND IT WAS DOING THAT SPYINGRA WHEN IT WENT DOWN. WE DON’T KNOW WHAT THE SECOND HELICOPTER WAS DNGOI OR IF IT WAS INVOLVED IN THE SAME OPERATION, BUT I CAN TELL YOU LOOKING AT THE SERIAL NUMBERS, BOTH ARE OWNED BY A COMPYAN CALLED COAST TO HELL -- COASTAL HELICOPTERS OUT OF PANAMA CITY. WE UNDERSTAND THE PILOTS OF BOTH HELICOPTERS ARE SAFE, AND AS FOR ATWH CAUSED THE TWO HELICOPTERS TO GO D
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Owner of both choppers that crashed into Lake Apopka says 'mirror-like' surface to blame
The owner of two helicopters that crashed on the same day into Lake Apopka has offered an explanation for the back-to-back accidents. Greg Clubbs, the president of Coastal Helicopters, which operates out of Panama City, told WESH 2 both helicopters went down Tuesday, the first at 7:15 a.m. and the second at 6:45 p.m. Clubbs said both pilots were flying low, spraying the lake with herbicide to help control the spread of invasive plants.He said the lake was so calm, that it created a "mirror-like" surface, causing the pilots' depth perception to be off and resulting in them crashing into the water.Clubbs said both people suffered no serious injuries. He says Coastal Helicopters has been in business for 45 years and has only had one minor accident previously.

The owner of two helicopters that crashed on the same day into Lake Apopka has offered an explanation for the back-to-back accidents.

Greg Clubbs, the president of Coastal Helicopters, which operates out of Panama City, told WESH 2 both helicopters went down Tuesday, the first at 7:15 a.m. and the second at 6:45 p.m.

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Clubbs said both pilots were flying low, spraying the lake with herbicide to help control the spread of invasive plants.

He said the lake was so calm, that it created a "mirror-like" surface, causing the pilots' depth perception to be off and resulting in them crashing into the water.

Clubbs said both people suffered no serious injuries.

He says Coastal Helicopters has been in business for 45 years and has only had one minor accident previously.