Fatal helicopter flight originated Oct. 29 from Gogebic-Iron Airport

By RALPH ANSAMI

ransami@yourdailyglobe

ODANAH, Wis. — The National Traffic Safety Board has released a preliminary report of the Oct. 29 helicopter crash that killed the pilot, who was on pipeline patrol for Enbridge Energy near Odanah.

Dean Bass, 64, of Ontario, Canada, died in the crash.

The flight departed that day from the Gogebic-Iron County Airport around 1 p.m. for routine pipeline patrol, en route to Superior, Wis.

The helicopter struck trees and terrain before coming to rest in an upright position. A post-crash fire then consumed most of the cabin, according to the NTSB report, but there was no explosion.

The helicopter was destroyed. It was registered to Enbridge Energy

The helicopter was recovered for further examination.

The crash occurred around 1:45 p.m. that day, involving the Airbus (Eurocopter) AS350B3 helicopter in the new Odanah area, but the pilot’s body wasn’t found in the crashed copter until around 1:37 a.m. the next day.

The crash site was deep in the woods, off Pine Flats Road, near where it intersects with Birch Hill Road in what is locally called the Four Corners area.

When Bass did not show up at his Superior destination, an alert notice was issued for the overdue helicopter. The pilot was not in contact with air traffic control and there was no record of a distress call.

The wreckage was located about 200 yards north of the east-west pipeline’s route.

Visibility had been about 10 miles that day, the report indicated.

Craig Hatch is the NTSB investigator in charge.