CLANTON, AL. (THECOUNT) — Retired Columbus, GA, Police Department officer David Hall has been identified as the pilot killed when a Columbus-based Metro Narcotics Task Force helicopter went down in the Coosa River, in Alabama Friday.
Hall, 53, was named as one of the victims in a fatal helicopter crash. He was piloting the helicopter which crashed Friday in Lake Mitchell.
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The helicopter was part of a metro narcotics task force, which included 5 agencies in Georgia and Alabama. The flight was a routine maintenance flight from Columbus Georgia to Clanton, according to officials.
Water flow along the lake had to be gradually slowed down above two nearby dams over a 6-8 hour process. Alabama Power worked with recovery teams to coordinate the dives. The wreckage of the helicopter was 70 feet below the surface of the water. source
The second victim was not identified in the mayor’s post. Divers on Sunday managed to recover both bodies from the wreckage. Efforts by divers on Saturday were hampered by strong currents.
The FAA is investigating, but the National Transportation Safety Board will rule the probable cause of the accident.
Mayor Teresa Tomlinson via Facebook:
“It is with great sorrow that the Columbus, Georgia Consolidated Government and the Columbus Police Department (CPD) announce the death of retired officer David Hall. David Hall, who still served the city through his piloting skills, was lost in a helicopter crash in Chliton [sic] County, Alabama on Friday, November 16th. David was 53 years old at the time of his death. He started with the CPD in 1990 and served honorably for 28 years. David was a graduate of Jordan High School and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He was beloved and respected by his fellow officers and by all who knew him. He will be missed. David was traveling at the time of his death with a passenger, whose identity and information is being withheld at the request of his family. Our hearts go out to those who are suffering with this loss. The Lord heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. (Psalms 147:3). May you find peace in the joy of the life you shared.”
Clanton is a city in Chilton County, Alabama, United States. It is part of the Birmingham–Hoover–Cullman Combined Statistical Area. At the 2010 census the population was 8,619. The city is the county seat of Chilton County. Clanton is the site of the geographic center of the U.S state of Alabama, according to Wikipedia.