ORTING, Wash. — A pilot was taken to the hospital Saturday after a helicopter crashed in a parking lot near Orting, according to Central Pierce Fire & Rescue.
Firefighters were dispatched to the 13900 block of McCutcheon Road East around 10:35 a.m. for reports of a helicopter crash.
Crews arrived to find the helicopter in a parking lot and leaking fuel. Firefighters extricated the pilot, who was the only person aboard.
The pilot suffered moderate, non-life-threatening injuries and was treated by paramedics before being taken to a local hospital.
Firefighters contained the fuel spill and secured the area for the investigation.
Initial reports indicate the helicopter may have experienced an engine failure before making a hard landing in the parking lot, according to Central Pierce Fire & Rescue. The aircraft was reportedly being used for tree harvesting operations at a nearby tree farm.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were notified. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
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