Ed Wilcock

A deadly helicopter crash that killed one pilot and damaged a building in Campbell River, B.C., was caused by a rotor blade failure during an emergency landing, according to the Transportation Safety Board. A report released Thursday said the main rotors on the Bell 206B helicopter “became deformed” some time during the flight on Sept. 24, 2019, sending the aircraft into a building. “In the last moments of the flight, the main rotor decreased to a point that could not sustain autorotational flight, and the helicopter fell vertically and impacted the ground,” the report read. The pilot was identified after the crash as Ed Wilcock, a prominent figure in the local aviation community who owned the E & B Helicopter company. He was the only person on board. …Wilcock is pictured receiving a lifetime safety award from B.C. Forest Safety in 2017.