Former Washington County man killed in helicopter crash
A former Washington County man was killed in a helicopter crash in West Virginia Friday.
Leo Basile, 57, of Arthurdale, W.Va., was piloting a helicopter for the Waco Oil & Gas company when it crashed about 7:45 a.m., near Marlinton, W.Va., in Pocahontas County. Basile was the sole occupant of the helicopter and was pronounced dead at the scene. The Sikorsky S-76D helicopter was owned by Waco Oil & Gas.
Basile was born in Washington and was a 1987 graduate of Immaculate Conception High School in Washington, according to an obituary published by the Morgan Funeral Home and Crematory in Reedsville, W.Va. After graduating, Basile served in the U.S. Army for 10 years as a helicopter crew chief and later joined the Army National Guard.
Basile was also a vintage car enthusiast, according to his obituary.
The crash is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration.