Four hurt in helicopter crash are Agland employees, pilot

Four people were injured after a helicopter crashed into a building in Parkston Monday morning.

The three passengers were employees of Agland Cooperative Fertilizer, general manager Bill Pape said, and the pilot who owned the helicopter worked at a different company.

The helicopter took off from the Agland Co-op property and didn't make it off the property before crashing by the building, Pape said.

The Hutchinson County Sheriff's Office said two people inside were transported via helicopter around 11:30 a.m. The others were treated at a local hospital.

Volunteer fire fighter Brandon Weber said all four people were out of the helicopter within five to 10 minutes of authorities arriving on scene.

Weber and other first responders had to cut around the helicopter to extricate those inside. He said the helicopter was banged up and resting against the back side of the building when he arrived.

"I've definitely seen a lot of crazy accidents," said Weber of his five years as a volunteer firefighter. "But this is probably the craziest one I've seen."

Weber said he hadn't seen a helicopter accident before.

According to Federal Aviation Administration records, the helicopter belongs to an Illinois-based crop dusting company. Woodley Aerial Spray confirmed one of their helicopters crashed but declined to comment.

Officer Richard Stokes said the helicopter has been secured as part of the FAA investigation.

Lindsey Meyers, a spokeswoman with Avera McKennan, said two of the four people involved in the helicopter crash have been taken to Avera St. Benedict in Parkston.

"Both of those people are in good condition," she said.

Meyers did not know where the other patients were being taken via helicopter or what their conditions were.

The FAA spokesperson said she could not yet share any more information than that there was a crash, and that they will be investigating.

Stokes said the names of the victims will be released once the FAA completes its investigation.

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