GF&P regional supervisor Mike Kintigh of Rapid City said the accident occurred between Wasta and Elm Springs after trapper Dan Turgeon shot a coyote, and pilot Tony DeCino attempted to pull the plane up from a low pass at the animal.

"They'd made a pass on a coyote and killed it and were pulling up when it happened," Kintigh said. "It's kind of being looked at, but the pilot is indicating that he hit a down draft and couldn't get any altitude. It just pushed the plane down."

Kintigh said DeCino and Turgeon were injured in the crash but able to walk for help. They caught a ride into Wasta and were later treated and released from Rapid City Regional Hospital.

"They needed some stitching up, but they're going to be all right," Kintigh said. "I think they're pretty sore right now."

The GF&P plane, a Christen A-1 Husky valued at $150,000 to $175,000, was in good shape before the accident, Kintigh said.

"We're meticulous with maintenance on that aircraft, and the pilot indicated that there were no mechanical problems before the crash," he said.

The trapper and pilot -- part of the state's predator-control program -- were hunting over land known as the old Schell Ranch, now owned by rancher Tom Trask. Kintigh said the team would have had a request or authorization from the landowner to hunt over the property.

GF&P wildlife division director Doug Hansen of Pierre said DeCino and Turgeon were both wearing helmets.

Hansen said even experienced aerial hunters in well-maintained airplanes must put themselves in potentially dangerous situations to kill coyotes on the ground. Flying low above rough terrain in pursuit of fast-moving coyotes carries an element of risk with little safety margin, Hansen said.

"They're doing all the things you wouldn't do in normal flying," he said. "We try to make sure every variable we have control over is covered. Once in a while, those variables just come into play."

The airplane is one of two owned by GF&P for predator control. The other has been stationed in Faith but is being moved to Pierre, Hansen said. In an initial inspection, the Husky appeared to be a total loss, although that won't be known for sure without an evaluation by state risk-management and private insurance officials, he said.

"The good news in all this is that neither the pilot nor the trapper were seriously injured," he said. "They were both able to walk away."

Contact Kevin Woster at 394-8413 or kevin.woster@rapidcityjournal.com

Rapid Reply

Send us your Rapid Reply

Name:

Email: (optional)

Comments:

Image Verification: (Case sensitive)