Helicopter crashes near Melrose

Wind gusts caused a helicopter to crash midday Monday in a field about 11 miles north of Melrose, according to Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Roland Herwig. Officials said the crash occurred about 11:30 a.m.

Herwig said both of the copter’s passengers were injured but had no additional information.

One person was transported to Plains Regional Medical Center and stabilized before being transported to a hospital in Lubbock, PRMC spokesman Todd Sandman reported.

The helicopter sustained substantial damage, Herwig said.

Details about the passengers’ course of travel were not available, Herwig said.

Registered to Robinson Air Crane of Miami, the helicopter bore the tail number N24CFUH-1, according to Herwig.

Jim Robinson of Robinson Air Crane said by telephone Monday evening he was not aware of the crash. Robinson said his company no longer owns the helicopter that was sold to a buyer in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., last week.

An official at Clovis Municipal Airport said the helicopter had no connection to the local airport and was believed to be a transient flight passing through the area.