Channel 3 broke into many pieces andfell to the ground spinning

Tag : rotor spinning

Four television journalists, who died a year ago when theirhelicopters collided midair, are remembered in a monument dedicatedat Steele Indian School Park Sunday.
About 300 relatives, family and friends attended the private eventalong with Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, police officers andfirefighters at the park, 300 E. Indian School Road. Many dabbedtears and left flowers at the foot of the arc-shaped granite wallengraved with photos of the four newsmen: Channel 15 pilot CraigSmith and photographer Rick Krolak, and Channel 3 pilot ScottBowerbank and photographer Jim Cox.
The four men died during lunchtime on July 27, 2007. Helicoptersfrom Channel 15 (KNXV) and Channel 3 (KTVK) were providing livecoverage of a police chase before they collided in midair.
Alan Cox, father of Cox, is upset about what he called a"senseless" coverage of a car chase that claimed his only son.Helicopters from Channel 15 (KNXV) and Channel 3 (KTVK) wereproviding live coverage of a police chase before they collided inmidair.
"Why do we have to send five helicopters up to cover a non-newsworthy event?" Cox said. "A car hijacking, the public certainlycan't be interested in that, that much. Why don't we send onehelicopter up and pool the feed? Why five? Are ratings thatimportant?"
Cox, who traveled to the Valley from Austin, Texas, said he has yetto see any changes in rules and regulations as a result of thehelicopter crash. He is curious about the complete report from theNational Transportation Safety Board, which is expected to publisha "probable cause" statement later this year.
Cox, 73, wonders if the Federal Aviation Administration wouldrecommend changes.
Shortly after the air collision, there were some members of theAirborne Law Enforcement Association who questioned why pilotsdouble as reporters because so much goes on inside a cockpit.
Cox said perhaps the changes should come from the televisionstations, he said.
"I think the local folks could do a lot on their own, justestablish rules on their own, one is of the ground rules to cover,"Cox said.
The NTSB shared a preliminary report in August 2007, which showedthe television helicopter pilots were not flying erratically. Thereport also noted "ground witnesses who indicated that the (Channel3, KTVK) helicopter was relatively stationary. The (Channel 15,KNXV) helicopter was maneuvering when the collision occurred. Uponimpact, witnesses said that Channel 3 broke into many pieces andfell to the ground spinning. Channel 15 remained relatively intactexcept for the main rotor blades. It pointed nose down and collidedwith the ground."
Moving forward are Krolak's children, who sat a few feet away froma tree planted in their father's honor. It's a site where parts theChannel 15 helicopter smashed into the earth.
Eric Krolak , one of Rick Krolak's sons,attended the dedicationwith his younger brother Colton. Krolak said the monument willbecome "a sanctuary to remember our father."
His father's death forced him to become more outgoing, Krolak said.
"I've learned to live life more and to enjoy life. I neverappreciated life," he said. "After losing him I really do try toenjoy every single minute. Before, I used to say, 'I want to gothere and see this.' Now, I go out and do it. I've never been toSeattle, I went there on a whim."
The 31-year-old Phoenix man said he is considering learning to be apilot, a career change that his cameraman father was debating.However, Krolak aspires to pilot medical flights.