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LOS ANGELES - A helicopter that crashed during a reality TV production this month suddenly pitched down and hit the ground about a minute after taking off in early morning darkness, a preliminary report said.
The National Transportation Safety Board report described the Feb. 10 accident that killed all three people aboard, but it drew no conclusions on what caused the Bell 206B JetRanger to go down on a remote film production ranch in the rugged Acton area of northern Los Angeles County.
The helicopter was being used for scenes in which an actor dropped a backpack to the ground from the hovering aircraft.
The production crew on the ground was not filming at the time, but there was a camera operator aboard and a GoPro camera pointed at an actor in the left front seat, the report said. The recording devices were sent to NTSB headquarters for examination.
"Dark night visual meteorological conditions prevailed," the report said.
The untitled, military-themed TV program was being produced by Eyeworks USA for Discovery Channel, the channel confirmed previously in a statement that said it was cooperating with authorities. The NTSB said Eyeworks contracted with Orbic Air, a helicopter services company, and the pilot filed paperwork with the Federa...
The report said the pilot and members of the production crew scouted the location a few weeks earlier and discussed maneuvers and what equipment they needed. Two scenes were necessary, with two different actors at two separate locations.
The helicopter left its base at Los Angeles' Van Nuys Airport, about 30 miles southwest of Acton, at 4:45 p.m. Feb. 9, with about 55 gallons of fuel aboard and 10 extra gallons in plastic containers, according to the report. After arriving at the shooting location, the pilot gave a safety briefing to production crew me...
The first flights began about 9 p.m. and lasted an hour as the pilot circled numerous times, returned to the landing zone to retrieve the backpack and discuss changes necessary for getting the right shot.
The production crew and the pilot took a meal break at 11 p.m. and the pilot took a 1 1/2- to two-hour sleep break in a trailer.
The second location was a plateau next to a valley, with the bag drop location illuminated by lights on two cranes. The NTSB said the pilot requested an additional smaller light to illuminate an area of sloping terrain and a line of glow sticks along a ridge leading to the drop zone.
The actor in the left front seat was illuminated by a flexible LED light pad, the report noted.
"Witnesses observed the helicopter depart normally and fly toward the plateau from the west," it said. "While maneuvering about 60 mph, the helicopter suddenly pitched down and collided with the terrain below the valley's wall. The production crew had expected the helicopter to perform high passes prior to maneuvering ...
Debris was scattered for 170 feet.
The victims were identified earlier as pilot David Gene Gibbs, 59, of Valencia; cameraman Darren Arthur Rydstrom, 46, of Whittier; and Michael William Donatelli, 45, of Indiana, Pa.
Local politicians will still be pounding the pavement for some old fashioned, shoe leather campaigning or they will hit the telephone hard for calls right up to Election Day, scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 6.
Don't be surprised to find local politicians still knocking on doors and making telephone calls in a final push to get out the vote during this last weekend before Election Day scheduled for Tuesday.
That includes Kent County Comptroller Republican candidate Patrick J. Boyle, who said he would focus mostly on knocking on doors this weekend.
Incumbent Comptroller Georgette Williams, meanwhile, said she would be at Kent County Democratic Headquarters over the weekend doing whatever she could to help "get out the vote."
Indeed, the County Democrats Coordinated Campaign is planning a number of phone banks and is taking requests for rides to the polls, said Kent County Levy Court Commissioner George "Jody" Sweeney (District 5), a Democrat who faces Republican Kevin McCarthy and Libertarian Andrew Cronk.
"Tuesday's weather looks to be like a cool fall day, perfect for voting," Sweeney added.
There will be a variety of get-out-the-vote initiatives in greater Dover, said state Rep. Darryl Scott (D-Dover).
"We're campaigning through the weekend as we do each election ,including door knocking, making phone calls and preparing for Election Day," Scott said.
The Democratic incumbent faces Republican challenger Sam Chick.
Chick, for his part, said he would continue to campaign right up until 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Independent Doug Beatty, running in the House's District 34 race, said he would likely make phone calls using the Delaware Department of Elections for Kent County's voter registration list. He also might stop in at some local businesses during the weekend.
Beatty faces Republican incumbent State Rep. Don Blakey and Democrat Ted Yacucci.
Over in the neighboring District 32, Republican candidate Ellis Parrott was out knocking on doors Thursday, and he planned to knock even more on Friday and Saturday.
"We are considering a get-out-to-vote call and maybe giving rides [to the polls]," said Parrott, who faces Democrat Andria Bennett.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio signed legislation Monday allowing inmates in its jails to make phone calls for free, making it the first major U.S. city to do so, reports the New York Times.
The details: The move is connected to a larger nationwide push by prison reform advocates to limit private companies from profiting off of those in the criminal justice system. The city has collected about $5 million per year from telephone calls made by incarcerated people and their families. The law goes into effect ...
From Caitlyn Jenner's 'Sports Illustrated' cover to Melania Trump's lifted speech, the late-night comics took a look at it all in 2016.
This year was many things: controversial, infuriating, triumphant. One thing that it wasn't? Boring. To the late-night talk show hosts, it seems, 2016 was comedy gold.
Here's a look at our favorite jokes of the year (in under five minutes) on everything from Russian hacking to Caitlyn Jenner's much-talked-about Sports Illustrated cover and #OscarsSoWhite.
After you watch our favorites, you know what to do. Vote for yours in the quick poll (you may have to scroll down a little) on the right! Watching from your smartphone or tablet? Then visit opinion.usatoday.com to cast your ballot.
Have a few laughs as you ring in the New Year. Punchlines will be back in 2017!
Like to listen to your laughs instead? Then we've got you covered. Click below or download to take the jokes on the go. Enjoy our favorites from 2016!
Who delivered your favorite punchline of 2016?
The Networking Challenge: Can We Go From Introverts To Superconnectors In A Month?
Join resident habit expert Rachel Gillett, and other Fast Company staff on Friday, March 13 at 11 a.m. EST as we discuss what happened when we stepped out of our shells to become better networkers.
When it comes to networking, there are two ends of the spectrum. On one side is the guy at the party who seems to know everyone and thrives on helping you meet meaningful connections—we call them superconnectors.
On the other end is someone like me, someone whose stomach churns at the idea of spending non-work time trying to get a leg up in the world by talking to total strangers. This habit challenge seeks to bring people like me a little closer to the center.
Ask some coworkers you’re friendly with to invite different coworkers to lunch or coffee. Use this low-pressure situation as an opportunity to practice your conversation skills. Start with mastering the art of small talk and honing your listening skills, two keys to getting the conversation going. And make sure you use...
We all have connections we've lost touch with over the years—this week we'll reach out to some of them.
"When you haven't seen people in three or five years, you can't predict what novel ideas and networks they'll be able to share," observed Wharton professor and Give and Take author Adam Grant. "And it turns out that the older you get, the more valuable dormant ties become. Along with having more of them, they've had mo...
Dormant ties are sources of "unexpectedly novel insights"
Reconnecting happens rapidly, making the time investment "minimal"
A reconnection isn't a new relationship: "People still have feelings of trust and a shared perspective, which are critical for receiving valuable knowledge from someone."
Instead of asking your old friends for help, practice searching for ways to help them, either by sharing knowledge, making introductions that will benefit them, or generally becoming a renewed source of meaning and happiness.
Ease into group networking with a local Meetup or event of like-minded professionals. It’ll be that much easier to strike up conversations with strangers when you already know one of their interests or hobbies.
People at events tend to congregate in groups of ones, twos, and threes. Approach the "ones" first. They are people just like yourself, shy to engage with others; they will be the most welcoming.
Twos and threes are more difficult to approach. Look for two people standing in an open V formation—they are usually open to others joining their discussion. Avoid people standing directly across from each other; this indicates they are engaged in a closed conversation.
If you want to enter a conversation between two people to talk to someone you know, approach the other person he is speaking to and ask permission from him to join.
For groups of three or more, look to join groups arranged in a U formation rather than the closed-off O formation. They are more open to people joining the group.
And don't forget to practice your body mirroring to establish rapport.
Take everything you’ve learned over the last few weeks and put it to good use at an industry event. Your goal this week is to not only make meaningful connections for yourself, but to help others connect in a meaningful way.
I hope you'll join us as we venture to become our better, more connected selves.
Join us here on Friday, March 13 at 11 a.m. ET as we discuss what happened when we stepped out of our shells to become better networkers.
Last week I asked my coworker Rose to invite another colleague, David, to join us for lunch--and on the walk to our lunch spot I felt very deeply the true awkwardness of this scenario.
The issue wasn’t that the three of us are socially inept. On the contrary, I think we were all acutely aware of the social connotation when one party asks another to lunch. One can’t help but wonder, what’s the motivation here, what’s the angle? I think keeping to ourselves at work, at least for my part, has become suc...
As we sat down to eat, I wanted to dispel any fears of a hidden agenda. Our networking lunch was simply an occasion to get out of the office, make some connections, and get to know each other better. After brushing the initial awkwardness aside, we enjoyed a delicious family-style meal of somosas, saag paneer, chicken ...
Last week I reconnected with a former editor and friend from my days at Patch. I introduced him to a colleague who is working on a project I thought he could really help with. Unfortunately, I never heard back from him.
There are a few reasons we thought this challenge would help us become better networkers. For one thing, we already know these people we’re reconnecting with, so the time investment is minimal and they already (hopefully) trust us.
Instead of asking our connections for help, we chose to instead share knowledge or resources that could benefit them. To be honest, I don’t know if my attempt at reconnecting was helpful to my old friend or my coworker. But I did end up taking something away from the experience. I took a step towards what makes a super...
Next up, I’ll be heading to a meetup to practice my conversation skills in a low-stress situation.
The most interesting part of the challenge for me so far, last week I eased into group networking by attending a casual Meetup. The day of the Meetup I contemplated excuses not to go: The weather was gross, I had a lot of work to do, and I wasn’t feeling 100%. But a half hour after I finally forced myself out the door,...
You should know that I’m not incapable of socializing, holding conversations, or generally functioning in the real world. It’s just that these social activities are draining for me, and at the end of a long, tiring workday, this is the last thing I want to do.
Unlike extroverts, who according to Psychology Today make up about 3/4 of the American population and replenish their energy levels by interacting socially with other people, I much prefer my inner monologue to dialogue with a stranger.
Personally, I rather listen than to speak and I’m not a huge fan of small-talk--if we’re going to chat, I’d rather talk about something meaningful, which doesn’t always make for the best party conversation. I need plenty of “me” time to recharge--for one thing, I get really anxious when I overplan my weekends--and a lo...
Until very recently, the World Health Organization considered introverted personality a potential mental health problem, and a few years ago the American Psychiatric Association had considered listing introversion as a contributing factor to some personality disorders. But more and more these days people are rejecting ...
This week’s challenge was a great example of how introverts can succeed at an activity people typically reserve for the extroverts of the world.
At my knitting Meetup, I talked to a really interesting group of ladies. One woman worked in TV, another in radio, a third was a breast cancer researcher. But none of us lingered too long on our jobs and what we do for a living—we were essentially there to put that behind us. Instead we easily engaged in conversations ...
Because the casual Meetup was low-pressure, I didn’t feel the need to fill pauses with some interesting nugget of information. I participated in the conversation as it was appropriate, and I enjoyed sitting back and listening to what everyone else had to say.
Two hours of knitting felt like a very minimal time commitment, and I walked away feeling like I could even do more. The time flew by very quickly, and I had enough left at the end of the evening to recharge before bed.
May 25, 2017 Boynton Beach.
Boynton Beach grew in population last year at a rate of about 50 percent more than the county overall did, new Census numbers show.
Boynton grew by 2.27 percent, while the county grew by 1.54 percent.
The estimated number of people who lived in Boynton last year is 75,569.
That’s an increase of 1,676 people, compared to 785 more one year earlier.
The 2010 Census showed 68,217 people living in Boynton.
Grant said he expects to see the city continue to grow at least at this rate. He said Boynton has the space for more residents, and named new rental apartment developments such as Cortina, 500 Ocean and High Ridge Landing.
He said the city is preparing to avoid a gridlock situation in the future. He mentioned the ongoing construction to widen the I-95 interchange at Woolbright Road, that the city is working on alternatives to automobile transportation such as using bike paths, and possibly bringing back a trolley system, and offering dis...
Also, the city is embarking on a $250 million redevelopment of the Town Square area, a 16-acre spot off Boynton Beach Boulevard that is expected to also bring a hotel, retail and residential space.
Staff reporter Mike Stucka contributed to this story.
The College Observer was a supplement published by the Virginia Gazette specifically covering College of William and Mary news. Many of the writers and production people were students. The paper appeared weekly during the school year from September 1970 through December 1971 and is one of many College of William and Ma...
This page was last modified on 6 September 2010, at 15:09.
The Tea Research Association at Tocklai, with buildings that each have a story to tell, is getting a tourist-friendly makeover.
The world’s oldest and biggest tea research centre will develop the existing campus and its heritage buildings as an important destination for tea tourism with Rs 5-crore financial support from the Assam government.
It will be seen as an important landmark on the tourism map of Jorhat.
The project will be completed in seven months.
“With an abundance in rich heritage, natural panorama, suitable climatic conditions, strategic geographical location and above all, the capacity to demonstrate complete intricacies of tea cultivation, processing, production and research facilities, Tocklai is the ideal place to be a tourism hub,” the director of the as...
He said the signature project by the Assam government was possible due to a special initiative of Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami who was the main driving force in converting the concept into a reality within a short time.
Tocklai has a beautiful sprawling campus of around 39 acres, which houses heritage buildings, chain of laboratories, workshop, tea factory, bungalows and a guest house built with the help of the Assam and Bengal governments.
Some of these heritage buildings are still housing important tea research laboratories.
The Tocklai Guest House, a heritage building, is a prime attraction for tourists.
The building was used to accommodate British tea planters who attended field management courses offered by Tocklai.
“The course continues but 88 years of constant use has taken a toll on the building, which requires renovation and restoration,” said Barooah.
“Each of the buildings has a story for the visitors,” he added.
A tea museum will be built with suitable dioramas, models and displays. The Tocklai Insect Museum, with its treasure of precious specimens, will also attract tourists, he said.
He said Tocklai can tie-up with other tea tourism enterprises like Kaziranga Golf Resort (Bura Sahib bungalow), Banyan Grove and Thengal Manor bungalow in Jorhat district, the Mancotta chang bungalow and Chowkidingee chang bungalow situated in the heart of Dibrugarh town.

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