Pretty young will be pilot

Child Starts Up Helo At Airshow Display

By Mary Grady

A six-year-old boy climbed into the cockpit of a Eurocopter EC145 on display at an airshow in Mankato, Minnesota, on Saturday, and started up the rotors, "causing a panic and two minor injuries," according to a local ABC Radio news report. The medevac helicopter, which is owned by the Mayo Clinic, was unattended when the boy entered the cockpit and started to flip switches and push buttons. The helicopter team members, who were nearby, quickly reached the aircraft and shut it down. The propwash knocked over a nearby tent, and two bystanders were slightly hurt. The helicopter will get a thorough inspection before being returned to service, the Mayo Clinic said in a statement. The incident occurred early Saturday afternoon on the first day of the Minnesota Air Spectacular at the Mankato Regional Airport. Agro Gushwa, a ticket taker at the show, told local reporters, "This kid started it up … The door was open ... and he just walked in." Gushwa said Mayo staffers responded within about a minute, and shut down the rotors within 90 seconds. Gushwa's shaky cellphone video of the incident shows the rotors turning fairly slowly, and the aircraft itself remains stable. Once he left the aircraft, the crying boy ran to his father, Gushwa said. The FAA is investigating the incident.