North Charleston, S.C. - A Charleston County Sheriff’s Office pilot is recovering after his helicopter crashed Tuesday afternoon near Charleston International Airport, halting flights at the state’s busiest airport for nearly two hours.
The Sheriff’s Office says chief pilot Lt. Scott Martray reported a malfunction just before the helicopter went down around 3:30 p.m. in an airfield close to Joint Base Charleston. He was the only one on board.
“We respect and appreciate Scott’s expertise that allowed him to bring the helicopter down while minimizing damage on the ground and injury to himself,” said Charleston County Sheriff Kristin Graziano. “We will continue to support him and his family through his recovery."
Authorities say Martray, who’s been with the department since 2006, was returning from Sumter to the sheriff’s office aviation unit office for routine maintenance on the helicopter.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating. Flights have resumed at Charleston International.
