Helicopter pilot seriously injured in Canim Lake, B.C. crash

A drilling crew watched in horror as a helicopter crashed near Canim Lake, B.C on Friday afternoon. The pilot was seriously injured.

The experienced pilotwho was working for Far West Helicopters in support of a drilling exploration crewwastransported to a hospital in Kamloops.

"The pilot was observed on approach to get into trouble and land hard," said BillYearwood, a spokesman forthe CanadaTransportationand Safety Board.

Yearwood described the pilot as a local, experienced helicopter pilot who was flying a Bell 206,commonly known as a JetRanger,at the time of the accident around 3 p.m. PT.