Mat-Su

Pilot, passenger injured when helicopter crashes in Hatcher Pass

A pilot and his passenger were injured when their helicopter crashed near Arkose Ridge in the Hatcher Pass area during an attempted landing Sunday morning, Alaska State Troopers said.

Troopers and state park rangers in Palmer were called to the scene of the crash at 11:16 a.m. Sunday. Troopers said in a Sunday dispatch that the helicopter, a Robinson R-22, was on a training flight when it went down near the ridge, a front-range peak in the Talkeetna Mountains.

Troopers were coordinating a rescue, but the helicopter's two occupants were picked up by one of the company's other helicopters, according to the statement.

Troopers and the National Transportation Safety Board did not identify the business Sunday.

Troopers identified John Wiese, 27, of Palmer as the pilot; his passenger was not named.

Both were taken to an area hospital to be treated for their injuries, troopers said.

The NTSB is investigating the crash.

Michelle Theriault Boots

Michelle Theriault Boots is a longtime reporter for the Anchorage Daily News. She focuses on in-depth stories about the intersection of public policy and Alaskans' lives. Before joining the ADN in 2012, she worked at daily newspapers up and down the West Coast and earned a master's degree from the University of Oregon.

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