This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
North Salt Lake • Two men died Tuesday afternoon when a helicopter crashed onto the roof of a building in this Davis County city.
Clause Hauer and Bruce Orr were on board the helicopter when it crashed bout 1:54 p.m. into an empty building at 501 W. 900 North, said North Salt Lake Police Chief Craig Black.
The helicopter was "embedded in the roof of that building," Black said. Hauer and Orr died before crews arrived to find them inside the burning helicopter, said South Davis Metro fire Deputy Chief Dave Powers. Crews removed one man and tried to resuscitate him for about 15 minutes before declaring him dead. They were in the process of removing the other man's body from the wreckage Tuesday evening.
The tail rotor from the helicopter was about 250 to 300 feet from the building, and debris from the crash was spread along 900 North.
"We know that we have debris at least a half-mile northeast of the crash site," Black said.
Investigators on Tuesday did not know the purpose of the flight. The website of Precision Air Power, an aircraft repair and maintenance business, lists Hauer and Orr as co-owners. The business is at the Bountiful Skypark Airport, across the street from the multi-story building where the helicopter crashed. Hauer previously flew a chopper for KUTV 2News.
Chris Volzer, fixed based operator manager at Skypark Airport, did not know Tuesday afternoon whether the helicopter had taken off from or was planning to land at the airport.
James Keeler, a North Salt Lake resident, said the helicopter passed over his home about a mile from the crash site. He said he saw the helicopter "going very slow, flying really low, making some grinding noises. It didn't sound right."
"Something was really wrong," Keeler said.
The building, which was not occupied when the crash occurred, bears a sign for Wimpole Street Creations, an embroidery shop, but an employee who answered the phone said the business is no longer at that location.
Tribune reporters David Newlin and Nate Carlisle contributed to this story.