Please note that the news report inaccurately states that John's aircraft was blown into the platform by high winds. The NTSB report does NOT state this.
Although the aircraft contacted the flare boom of the platform and the preliminary NTSB report indicates high winds at the accident site, this is not to be misinterpreted
KLFY TV Aired the following report on 03/07/07
It is listed in text version below. To see how it looked on their web site, you can click here. When this link you will also be able to watch the video clip by clicking the link on the right side of their page. I am working on making the video available directly from this site as well.
Original article:
http://www.klfy.com
Federal investigators have released their preliminary findings in connection with February's chopper crash in the Gulf that claimed the lives of two people.
But those findings don't tell the whole story. The story of a helicopter pilot who had a life long dream to fly, but didn't start doing it until he was in his 40's.
Once he realized that dream his career and his life were cut all too short.
Most commercial helicopter pilots learn to fly at a relatively young age in the military, but that wasn't true of John Lancaster.
According to a website dedicated in his honor, Lancaster spent the first 20 years of his life as a ski instructor who made his living in and around Vail, Colorado.
Photographs from those days show him catching plenty of air.
And even years earlier it was the same story.
As a young man riding a galloping horse, with his arms stretched out like the wings of bird in flight.
But Lancaster waited until he was more than 40 years old to fly professionally when he became a commercial helicopter pilot.
After graduating from a flying school in Florida, Lancaster worked in Minnesota before hiring on with Era Helicopters in Lake Charles.
By industry standards Lancaster had only been working offshore for a short time ferrying personnel from rig to rig when he died.
According to the accident report Lancaster was flying his helicopter and was attempting to land on this production platform, Vermilion 200, when a strong cross wind pushed his chopper into a flare boom.
The force of the collision could be felt throughout the entire platform.
And it sent Lancaster and his passenger 33-year-old David Thibodeaux of Abbeville crashing into the water some 100 feet below.
That night their bodies were recovered along with the remains of the chopper.
According to a posting on Lancaster's website he'll be remembered as a man who died doing what he loved.
A final report on the accident could be out by the end of the year.
VAIL — Local residents are mourning a longtime Vail ski instructor who died in a helicopter crash last week in the Gulf of Mexico.
John Lancaster, 46, was piloting the helicopter Feb. 12 off the coast of Louisiana when it crashed during a landing attempt on a platform, according to news reports.
Lancaster was a ski instructor, supervisor and trainer at Vail Mountain for many years.
“He was a really genuine guy that didn’t have a bad bone in his body, to be honest with you,” said Ben Boyd, who worked with Lancaster at Vail Mountain and at the Beaver Creek Golf Course.
Chris Anthony, a longtime local and pro skier who also worked with Lancaster at the ski school, said he was really impressed that Lancaster chased his dream to become a helicopter pilot.
“It was amazing that in the middle of his life he picked up other goals for himself and went after them,” Anthony said. “A lot of people are scared to do that. He reached the pinnacle in the ski school world, and then sort of switched over and took a totally different route.”
Nate Goldberg, a fellow ski school supervisor, said he was also impressed with Lancaster’s decision.
“I though, ‘What a bold move to follow your dreams like that,’” he said.
Tom Talbot, another fellow ski instructor, said Lancaster had a great, dry sense of humor and a great passion for skiing.
“I thought he was a class act,” Talbot said.
Franz Fuchsberger served on a ski instructor demonstration team with Lancaster.
“He was always out for excellence,” Fuchsberger said. “He was a very meticulous person, out for perfection.”
Lancaster was working for Era Helicopters, flying a Europcopter EC120B, according to news reports. He started working for Era last summer, the reports said.
A passenger, identified as David Thibodeaux, 33, of Abbeville, La., also died in the crash, according to news reports.
Representatives from Era could not be reached for this story.
Lancaster worked for Vail Resorts from 1983 until 2003, according to a spokeswoman.
Lancaster is survived by his wife, Lisa.
Staff Writer Edward Stoner can be reached at 748-2929 or estoner@vaildaily.com.
Resources:
KLFY Original News Article
Vail Daily News Article PDF
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