German helicopter crashed near Minsk (Photo, video)

• 9.08.2010, 11:17

A pilot from Germany was killed in a crash during the CIS Open Cup in Helicopter Sport near Belarusian capital Minsk at Baravaya airfield.

It happened on August 8 during an aerobatics show, during a so-called “death loop”, BelaPAN reports.

A US-made MD-500 helicopter operated by a German pilot Guenter Zimmer fell during an acrobatics operation, the plane crashed and burst into flames. The pilot died. A rescue brigade was called in to extinguish the fire.

Guenther Zimmer, 74, was a recognized small aircraft ace and one of the few pilots in the world who could loop the loop, “Interfax-Zapad” notes.

According to preliminary reports, during the stunt show he was attempting this element and he managed to do the hardest part of it. The tragedy took place at 3.39 p.m. Minsk time in the north-west part of Baravaya airfield, at the distance of 500-600 metres from spectators.

Among the versions of the crash are a human error and taking no notice of weather conditions. As said by the trainer of the Russian helicopter sports team Harry Georkov, who was present during the accident, “the main version is an error of the pilot when performing an oblique loop, when pulling out the pilot disregarded weather conditions and failed to make it”. “The second one is the pilot’s health condition, which cannot be ignored as well,” the expert stated.

As the tragedy has taken place during the CIS Open Cup in Helicopter Sport held under the aegis of the Voluntary Association for Assistance to Army, Aviation and Fleet, experts do not exclude that the military prosecutor’s office is to be engaged in investigation of the case.

As the reporter of interfax.by portal has found out, the wife of the pilot was a witness of the accident: Guenter Zimmer crashed in front of her eyes.