Fire-truck-yellowThe National Traffic Safety Board and the FAA are investigating the cause of a fatal helicopter crash in Humboldt County Sunday. Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department received the call of a small experimental gyrocopter that crashed in the front yard of a rural residence north of Dakota City.

The initial investigation appears to suggest the gyrocopter suddenly lost altitude, hitting a tree and came to rest. The pilot of the copter, 58 year old Larry Erickson of Humboldt died of his injuries at a Humboldt County Memorial Hospital.

A passenger, 65 year old Mike Chapman of Humboldt was taken to the Humboldt hospital and was airlifted to a Des Moines hospital.

(Reporting by Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City)