Elderly German pilot died at competition in helicopter sports
10:13, 9 August 2010
MINSK. August 9. KAZINFORM A German pilot aged 74 died in an accident in the vicinity the Borovaya airdrome near the Belarussian capital Minsk Sunday while taking part in a CIS competition in helicopter sports; Kazinform refers to Itar-Tass.
"An Md-500 helicopter of U.S. manufacture crashed in the Borovaya airdrome area Sunday, " an official at the Ministry for Emergency Situations said.
Md-500 were the machines on which the German team performed in the competition.
The helicopter piloted by Gunter Zimmer, 74, was making a landing maneuver when it tumbled to the earth and caught blaze.
The pilot died as a result.
Belarus is hosting competitions of the kind for a third time. Taking part in them are the crews from Belarus, Russia, Britain, and Germany.
The accident did not cause a break in the events, as the demised helicopter was the last entry on the performing list.