Striking high-voltage line causes fatal Beijing copter crash

BEIJING, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Striking a high-voltage transmission line caused a helicopter to crash in the Beijing suburbs, killing the pilot, investigators said on Sunday.

The helicopter crashed at 9:50 a.m. on Saturday after hitting a10-kilovolt line while spraying pesticide on a forest farm in Pinggu District, said an investigator with the North China Regional Administration under the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

The 37-year-old pilot, surnamed Lu, died in the crash. The copter was also destroyed. The investigation into the crash continues, according to the investigator.

The helicopter was rented by Pinggu District's horticulture and forestry department from the Beijing Pan-Asia General Aviation Company. Lu worked in the company.