Belinda Grant/Nevada Appeal News ServiceA helicopter crashed this morning on the Jubilee Ranch off of Foothill Road south of Genoa. David Walley's resort is shown in the background.
There were no survivors in a helicopter crash shortly before 8 this morning, in a cow pasture on Jubilee Ranch, just east of Foothill Road and south of Muller Lane. One person is confirmed dead, according to Douglas County Sheriff Ron Pierini.
Ranchhand Warren Fillmore, witnessed the accident. "I heard a loud clanking sound, like something ripped off," he said. "The helicopter came stright down and exploded when it hit the ground.
"It happened so quick, there was nothing to do," he said. "It was about three to four seconds between the sound and the explosion."
Nothing was left of the aircraft and officials on scene could not determine the registration number, according to Pierini.
One of the few recognizable pieces was a portion of the tail, which lay about 30 feet from the smoking wreckage.
Douglas County Sheriff's Office and East Fork Fire and Paramedic Districts and Minden-Tahoe Airport responded to the crash. They will secure the site until investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration arrive.
"Our investigators are taking photos of the scene, but the determination concerning the crash will be made by the FAA," Pierini said.