A Howard County Police Department helicopter had to make an emergency landing on a high school football field after suffering a mechanical failure.
Four flight officers were responding to a call just after 11 p.m. Thursday when the mechanical problem forced them to land at Wilde Lake High School. No one was injured, but the helicopter suffered significant damage.
The flight crew members were identified Friday as Cpl. Perry Thorsvik, Cpl. Robert Townsend, police officer first class Jacob Bell and police officer Craig Hoover.
The nature of the call the officers were responding to was not released.
The cause of the mechanical failure remains under investigation.
The helicopter was removed from the field Friday afternoon, after a preliminary investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Further investigation will be completed next week by the FAA and possibly the National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB).
