Troy Gentry’s Helicopter Pilot’s Decision to Hover Brought Into Question

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is currently investigating the helicopter crash that killed Troy Gentry and 30-year-old pilot James Evans Robinson.

According to TMZ, a major question that is surfacing in the investigation is whether Robinson should have attempted to make a landing instead of hover with mechanical issues for several minutes while waiting for emergency assistance.

Helicopter pilots in the New Jersey area where the crash occurred weighed in on Robinson’s options, which they stated were all dangerous.

One helicopter pilot said that making a hard landing often proves safer than hovering with mechanical issues because the aircrafts are more vulnerable in the air. The pilot also says that if they were to make a landing, they would want to make sure the area was foamed before they hit the ground to avoid fire.

Another option could have been landing in water because it is often much safer than staying in the air. There were beds of water nearby the Flying W Airport area where the helicopter crashed.

The fatal accident occurred around 1 p.m. on Friday in Medford, New Jersey. Gentry was traveling to his concert, which was planned to take place at the Flying W Airport.

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.”