2 Killed in Helicopter Crash Near Somis
A Southern California Edison pilot and a troubleshooter were killed Wednesday afternoon when the helicopter they were in crashed near Somis after it got tangled in high-voltage wires they were inspecting.
Authorities said the crash occurred shortly before 2 p.m. in Solano Verde Ranch, a residential area in an unincorporated area of Ventura County north of Camarillo.
The pilot was identified as Benny Kleven, 41, of Temecula. He joined the company in June with 22 years of flight experience, said Rudy Gonzales, an Edison regional manager.
The passenger was identified as Keith King, 48, of Ojai. The 28-year Edison employee was based in the Ventura Service Center.
The Hughes 369D helicopter had taken off earlier from the Ventura facility. The men were conducting a routine inspection of power lines.
“We’ve got 50,000 square miles of territory and some of our facilities are in remote locations,” Gonzales said.
“We use helicopters to monitor them, which is more efficient than trying to reach the lines by truck.”
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the accident. FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said the helicopter was built in 1980.
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