KEY POINTS:
A helicopter pilot had a lucky escape when his helicopter crashed in a paddock at Waikeria Prison near Te Awamutu this morning.
Senior Sergeant Dave Simes, said the pilot of the helicopter was spraying weeds when he noticed an engine problem.
"He's done a loop to come into land in a paddock next to the prison's administration block when part of his spraying equipment has made contact with a water trough causing the aircraft to flip." Mr Simes said.
He said there is significant damage to the helicopter, a Hiller UH12E, but the pilot is uninjured.
"Our officers secured the crash scene in conjunction with Corrections staff prior to the arrival of Civil Aviation crash investigators who have arrived at the scene," said Mr Simes.
- NZHERALD STAFF
