Retired army pilot speaks out about Black Hawk crash

Two soldiers were hurt in a Black Hawk helicopter crash Thursday remain in the hospital tonight in stable condition.

Four soldiers were on board when the helicopter went down in a remote forest area off of Rampart Road in Douglas County.

The army is guarding the crash site until the investigation is complete and the helicopter can be moved.

NewsChannel 13 spoke with former army helicopter pilot Rob Magnus to gain some insight on what happened with the crash.

Magnus flew a helicopter during the Vietnam War, and flying remains an integral part of his life.

“I got out of the military in 1975 and went to work for Air West helicopters and worked for them for about 5 seasons. Then, I got my own helicopter and I’ve been in business for 35 years on my own,” said Magnus.

While flying a private chopper over Longmont in 1981, he lost control and crashed. His legs had to be amputated.

“There’s a whole lot of factors, mountain winds, changing winds, changing wind speed that will cause problems,” said Magnus.

Magnus says, based on his experience, it could take months to fully investigate the crash.