TSB investigators return to site of fatal N.B. helicopter crash

A fatal New Brunswick helicopter crash is under investigation.

The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) says investigators have returned to the site of a fatal helicopter crash in southern New Brunswick on Monday.

The commercially registered Robinson R-44 helicopter was travelling from the Fredericton International Airport to Sussex Airport on Saturday afternoon.

The TSB says the small aircraft was operated by Veezee Aviation Inc.

The flight took off around 3 p.m., but never arrived in Sussex, which is about 80 kilometres northeast of Saint John.

TSB spokesperson Hugo Fontaine says was a “visual flight rules” trip, in which pilots navigate based on what they can see outside the cockpit.

The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax called the RCMP in Sussex about the missing helicopter just before 7 p.m.

Police say they went to the area of the aircraft’s last known signal, which was west-northwest of the Sussex airport.

Search crews found the main cabin of the helicopter around 2:30 a.m. Sunday.

The pilot, who was the only person on board, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police say criminality is not suspected in the crash.

The investigation has since been transferred to the TSB.

The agency says investigators arrived on site Sunday afternoon and they will continue to survey the site Monday.

Officials have not released the pilot’s name, or any other identifying details.

With files from The Canadian Press and CTV Atlantic’s Avery MacRae

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