HUNTERSVILLE, W.Va. — The National Transportation Safety Board has released a preliminary report in connection with the July 10 fatal crash in Pocahontas County of a helicopter owned by Waco Oil & Gas.
The report indicates weather conditions may have played a role in the crash.
According to the report posted late Thursday night, Waco pilot Leo Basile crashed the helicopter into the mountainside near the Huntersville-area property owned by Waco Oil & Gas owner Ike Morrisey. Basile, 57, died at the scene.
The report said Basile left a hangar near Glenville at about 7:10 a.m. on his way to Pocahontas County to pick up Morris.
An eyewitness video shows the cloud ceiling was only about 200-250 feet above ground level when Basile and the helicopter approached the farm at about 7:45 a.m.
Witnesses closer to the landing zone told NTSB investigators it was a foggy morning and only the helicopter’s “belly” was visible at times as it approached Morris’ property.
“They described that as the helicopter passed over a ridge to the southwest of the destination, it continued east, perpendicular to the approach path they had seen the helicopter fly in the past. They also described that the helicopter pitched up just prior to impacting the mountainside,” the report said.
NTSB issues the preliminary report for its ongoing investigation of the July 10 crash of a Sikorsky S-76D helicopter near Huntersville, West Virginia. https://t.co/y2C0R3i6gU
— NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) July 24, 2026
The crash occurred less than two-tenths of a mile from the landing zone. The report said there was a fire at impact leaving most of the helicopter unrecognizable. The debris field was 330 ft. long and the helicopter’s cockpit voice recorder/flight data recorder combination unit were recovered and will be further investigated by the NTSB.
It could take up to a year for the agency to issue a final report.
Basile, of Arthurdale, was an experienced pilot.