One dead in helicopter crash in Newton County

Newton County – One person was killed and one person on the ground was injured in a helicopter crash in Newton County, according to information provided to KFDM/Fox 4 News by the DPS.

KFDM/Fox 4's Taylor Justice was live from the scene at 5, 5:30 and 6.

The pilot was the only person on board the helicopter when it crashed around 1:30 p.m. this afternoon on CR 2048, off FM 1414, east of Highway 87 and north of Newton.

DPS will release the pilot's name after notifying his next of kin.

A person standing next to the tanker truck was injured after being struck by the helicopter's landing skids. The victim was transported to CHRISTUS Jasper Memorial Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

According to the FAA, the helicopter is registered to Callaway Land Management LLC on Main Street in Lumberton.

The company's Facebook page states that Callaway Land Management is a turnkey reforestation company specializing in aerial herbicide spraying, ground-based herbicide spraying, licensed controlled burns in Texas and Los Angeles, and mechanized planting.

At around 1:25 p.m., police officers were informed that an OH-58A+ rotary-wing aircraft (helicopter) with tail number N199BD, used for agricultural purposes, had crashed for unknown reasons while approaching its tanker truck.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have been notified and will conduct the investigation.