By Peter Biello
Wilmington, NC – Wilmington Fire Department captain John Miller left Wilmington International Airport this morning alone in his private, two-seat Robinson R-22 Beta, or 'trainer' helicopter.
But crash investigators believe Miller never reached his destination.
Some time later, witnesses reported a helicopter crash in an open field behind an army surplus store on Carolina Beach Road below Monkey Junction.
Charlotte Philemon owns a shop near the crash site. She says she thought the helicopter sounded strange.
"Maybe like it was having some kind of engine difficulty," she recalls. "But then I thought, well, that's probably just the way it sounds. And the next thing I knew, I saw people running over there and a great big puff of black smoke."
An autopsy scheduled for tomorrow is expected to confirm the pilot's identity, but Wilmington's fire department is already mourning one of their own.
In a press release sent by the city of Wilmington, Fire Chief Sam Hill stated, "This is an unexpected tragedy that has impacted not just our department, but our community. I say on behalf of the entire department that we are deeply saddened to lose such a fine public servant. Our thoughts and prayers are with John's family."
The city describes Miller as an 18-year-veteran of the fire department and captain at the station on Wellington Avenue.
A spokesperson for the New Hanover County Sheriff's Department says the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are both investigating the cause of the crash.
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