Mt. Vernon man killed when crop dusting helicopter crashes in Washington County
A Mt. Vernon man was killed when his crop dusting helicopter crashed in rural Washington County on Monday.
Donald L. Pruett, 41, was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:22 p.m. Monday by Washington County Coroner Mark Styninger. The crash took place in a remote agricultural area north of the Oakdale Blacktop and west of Garfield Road in Washington County, according to the coroner’s Facebook page.
The crop dusting aircraft was owned by Kash Helicopter Company, and Pruett was the sole occupant. The wreckage was found in a cornfield about a half- mile from the roadway and under overhead power lines. It is unclear if the aircraft struck the power lines.
The Federal Aviation Agency was called to the scene to investigate.
Cause of death appears to be blunt force trauma, but an autopsy will be scheduled in O’Fallon. Agencies on the scene were the Washington County Ambulance Service and Sheriff’s Department, Nashville Fire Department, Illinois State Police and the Washington County Coroner’s office.
