Watch CBS News

Geese Caused Crash That Killed Pennsylvania Airman

PITTSBURGH (KDKA/AP) - An Air Force helicopter crash in England that killed a local crew member and three others was caused by geese hitting aircraft.

The Air Force announced Wednesday that the birds broke through the Pave Hawk helicopter's windscreen during a training mission on Jan. 7. The helicopter slammed into the coast during a low-level training mission near a Royal Air Force station in Lakenheath.

Capt. Sean Ruane, 31, was the co-pilot. The Air Force says he and the pilot were knocked unconscious by the birds before the crash.

Capt. Ruane was a 2000 graduate of Montour High School. He left a wife and 14-month-old son behind.

The Air Force captain, who had already completed three deployments to Iraq and two to Afghanistan, was supposed to return home for good later this year.

Pave Hawks - a modified version of the better-known Black Hawks - are mostly used for combat search-and-rescue missions. They typically fly fast, often just hundreds of feet above ground.

Capt. Ruane was laid to rest at Resurrection Cemetery.

RELATED LINKS

More Local News
More Reports on Capt. Ruane

Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter

(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.