The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office has identified the pilot killed in a helicopter crash Thursday night, October 15, as 63-year-old Isaac Moore.
According to investigators, Moore was operating a Manatee County Mosquito Control helicopter when it struck a private radio tower and crashed into a wooded area near Dakin Dairy Farm in Myakka City.
Residents who witnessed the crash rushed to the wreckage and pulled Moore from the helicopter. Despite their efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
A second mosquito control helicopter was conducting spraying operations nearby at the time of the crash. That aircraft landed safely.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the crash to determine the circumstances surrounding the collision.
Additional details about the crash have not yet been released.
