Chopper attempting to land on Pine Island ends up in the lake

A Virginia doctor was attempting to land his helicopter on a small pad he had built off the end of his Pine Island dock late yesterday morning when a strong gust of wind apparently blew the aircraft into Lake Winnipesaukee. The helicopter sank in about 10-feet of water but Dr. Glenn Tonnesen of Falls Church and his three passengers all managed to escape without injury.

The accident occurred on the southwest side of the island, where it is separated from Meredith Neck by a relatively narrow straight. David Hamblet owns the Y Landing Marina that faces the island in that area and he said about 11 a.m. he heard what he presumed was Tonnesen's helicopter suddenly making a lot louder noise than usual. He and others ran outside to see the helicopter lying on its side in the water, sinking, next to the dock.

Hamblet is a volunteer firefighter and he was on the town fireboat as it responded to the incident. He said that Tonnesen told him his was hovering over the helicopter pad, at an altitude of about 8-feet, when the machine mysteriously slammed downward with such force that it broke boards. The aircraft then bounced up but was caught by a wind gust that blew if over and into the lake.

Tonnesen purchased his Pine Island property about a year ago, Hamblet said, and expanded the end of this dock to include a 12-foot by 15-foot landing area for the helicopter. It is not unusual to see and hear the aircraft coming and going so no special notice was taken as it approached on Sunday morning.

The New Hampshire Marine Patrol said arrangements are being made to recover the helicopter. Hamblet said he expected that salvage operation to take place on Wednesday and officials from the Federal Aviation Administration would be inspecting the aircraft once it arrives at the Y Landing yard.

(Associated Press contributed to this story.)