A helicopter crash near the Prineville Airport on May 17 killed one individual and severely injured another, according to the Prineville Police Department.
A press release stated that the deceased was an 80-year-old male. The individual’s name is not being released at this time, Prineville Police Department said in an email. The second victim was a 46-year-old male who survived the crash but sustained major injuries.
The survivor has been identified online as Dan Wackerman.
His wife, Shannon Wackerman, started a GoFundMe fundraising page, identifying Dan as the survivor in the crash. According to Shannon, Dan is a flight instructor who was teaching his friend to pilot the helicopter when the crash happened.
According to the GoFundMe page, Dan was allegedly thrown 20 feet from the helicopter and landed in the dirt. He suffered significant trauma and injury to the brain, as well as an unstable mid-spine fracture, a broken femur and abdominal bleeding.
“Thanks to the diligence of every Police officer, EMS, nurse, ED tech and MD who ensured his c-spine was protected for the first 48 hours, he was able to have surgery to stabilize his spine. Now, his whole neck is fused with titanium from the skull to c6. He is alive, because of those efforts,” Shannon wrote on the GoFundMe page.
According to the fundraiser, Dan is sedated, on a ventilator and waiting for additional surgeries.
The cause of the crash is unknown. The Prineville Police said the National Transportation Safety Board has assumed control of the investigation.
“The Prineville Police Department extends its condolences to the families affected by this tragic incident and thanks all agencies that assisted with the emergency response,” wrote Chief Jeff Profio of Prineville Police in a press release.
This article appears in Source Weekly May 15, 2025.
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