Remaining helicopter victims identified

By Jackie Valley

Sunday, Dec. 11, 2011 | 1:24 p.m.

Two people from New Delhi, India, were among the victims killed in Wednesday’s fatal helicopter crash near Lake Mead, Clark County officials said Sunday.

Anupama Bhola, 26, and Lovish Bhanot, 28, were passengers in the helicopter. The coroner’s office previously identified the other passengers as Utica, Kansas, couple Tamara and Delwin Chapman, both 49. The pilot was 31-year-old Las Vegas resident Landon Nield.

All five died from multiple blunt force and thermal injuries. Their deaths were ruled an accident.

The tour helicopter, operated by Sundance Helicopters, crashed into a mountain between Lake Mead and Henderson shortly before 5 p.m. Wednesday. The helicopter was on a flight from McCarran International Airport to the Hoover Dam, one of its normal routes.

A National Transportation Safety Board special team has been investigating the accident. A preliminary accident report will be issued this month, but it could take up to a year before a full report detailing the cause is released, officials said.

Federal Aviation officials say the helicopter was a Eurocopter AS350, built in 1989, with tail number N37SH.

The Associated Press reported that Sundance has a history of aviation violations. A Sundance pilot and six passengers were killed in a September 2003 helicopter crash at the Grand Canyon West Airport.

In August 2009, a helicopter traveling from the Grand Canyon with six passengers made an unexpected landing at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area after experiencing electrical problems, according to the AP. No injuries were reported.