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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted at 1:30 p.m., Friday, November 18, 2005

'Copter crash survivor welcomes criminal probe

By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Kaua'i Bureau

A survivor of a Sept. 23 helicopter crash on Kaua'i said today that he welcomes a prosecutor's homicide investigation into the case.

"I'm glad that they're investigating. Maybe the truth will come out," said Bill Thorson Jr. of Beloit, Wis., in a telephone interview. Thorson's father-in-law, Laverne Clifton, and two Maine women died in the crash of the Heli USA helicopter, which dropped into ocean near Ha'ena Point, along Kaua'i's north shore.

Pilot Glen Lampton, Thorson and his wife, Karen, survived.

Thorson said he talked with prosecutors and has agreed to be interviewed, but that he has not been questioned yet.

Lampton told investigators that just before the crash, another helicopter came straight at him, forcing Lampton to turn to avoid a collision. Lampton's helicopter encountered heavy rain and descended rapidly, according to a National Transportation Safety Board report. The NTSB has not issued a determination of the cause of the fatal crash.

"We've been interviewing other pilots and looking into the weather situation — obviously, involving the decision by the pilot to fly into the weather," said Kaua'i deputy prosecutor Richard Minatoya.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.