Minor injuries in hard landing after helicopter loses power

HONOLULU — A helicopter carrying a Hawaiian Electric contractor lost power and made a hard landing in Honolulu Tuesday, a spokeswoman for the utility said.

The pilot sustained minor injuries, the Honolulu Fire Department said.

The contractor was transporting material near the Nuuanu Reservoir and no Hawaiian Electric employees were on board when the helicopter crashed, said spokeswoman Shannon Tangonan.

Employees were at a safe distance when the helicopter came down, she said. Two people on the ground were not injured, the fire department said.

The pilot of the Hughes 369D helicopter reported engine failure and made an emergency landing on mountainous terrain at about noon, Ian Gregor, spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration said.

The FAA will investigate.