November 24, 2011. Helicopter pilot Greg Gribble got into an awful tangle when it appeared his helicopter got caught in a cable as he was attempting to help erect a seven-storey Christmas Tree near the Te Wero Island bridge, Auckland.
Captured on video footage and in stills, Gribble’s aircraft crumpled to the ground, before he was pulled out by a local photographer and other workers at the scene, who braved their lives amid the powerful reek of aviation fuel and fears of an explosion.
Gribble staggered away from the crash site and was taken to hospital, where he was apparently treated for minor injuries, but was still in a state of shock.
Gribble was working for Helisika Helicopters and piloting a Squirrel helicopter.