Man Dies In Crash Of Homemade Helicopter in Waller County, Texas

A Waller County man died over the weekend when the small helicopter he was piloting crashed near the Waller – Austin County line in Texas.

Waller County sheriff’s investigators identified the pilot as William Worthington, 57, of the Pattison area.

Witnesses called 911 after seeing the helicopter go down around noon Saturday, September 25, 2010 west of the Pattison community. It was reportedly trailing black smoke before the crash.

Emergency responders from both Waller and Austin counties searched for the crash scene, eventually finding the downed chopper in a field near FM 1458 and Clemons Switch Road by following a plume of smoke.

When rescue crews arrived, the chopper was on fire with Worthington trapped inside. It was not immediately known if he was killed on impact.

Investigators said Worthington had built the helicopter himself.  The cause of the accident remains under investigation.