Man working on helicopter hit by main rotor blades, killed

BROOKSVILLE, Fla. – Authorities say a man was hit in the head by the main rotor blades and killed while working on a helicopter at a Florida airport.

A Hernando County Sheriff’s Office news release say 62-year-old Salvatore Disi died Thursday afternoon near the hangars at Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport.

Officials say two men were using a power cart to jumpstart a helicopter when, for an unknown reason, the helicopter suddenly jerked up and then came down. The sheriff’s statement says the motion caused the main rotor blades to strike Disi in the head, killing him instantly.

Sheriff Al Nienhuis said at a news conference that there was no sign of foul play. He says his office has contacted that Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board.