Troy Gentry’s Helicopter Crash Cause Revealed

Troy Gentry of Montgomery Gentry died on Friday after a helicopter crash.

New details have been revealed about the cause of the fatal accident, according to Taste of Country. According to the 911 audio, the pilot, 30-year-old James Evans Robinson, experienced mechanical issues for several minutes before the crash.

The audio dispatcher sent first responders to the Flying W Airport because the helicopter was hovering the area, waiting for help to arrive to try and make an emergency landing.

The distressed vehicle carrying Gentry crashed shortly after emergency crews arrived at their location. Both Gentry and the pilot of the helicopter were killed in the accident.

The crash occurred around 1 p.m. in a field near the airport.

The 50-year-old country singer was still alive when the aircraft crashed, and was transported to Virtua Hospital Marlton where he died shortly after, NBC News reports.

Gentry was traveling to his concert, which was planned to take place at the Flying W Airport on Friday night in Medford, New Jersey. The concert was canceled about an hour after the crash.

His band, Montgomery Gentry, confirmed his death a few hours after the crash.

Twisted metal and the helicopter’s rotor were scattered across the grass field at the scene. Witnesses said the aircraft hit the ground while traveling about 75 miles per hour.

The FAA is still investigation the situation, but officials did provide a few details. “A Schweitzer 269 helicopter crashed in a wooded area off the end of Runway 1 at the Flying W Airport in Lumberton, NJ at approximately 1:30 pm today,” the agency said in a statement. “The National Transportation Safety Board also will investigate and will determine probable cause.”