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Posted: Sunday, January 22nd, 2006 7:10 AM HST

Authorities studying whether Kauai pilot had proper license

By Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) _ Air safety authorities are studying whether the 20-year-old helicopter pilot who died while helping put out a Kauai brushfire on Christmas Day had a proper license. Jonathan D'Attilio died two days after the MD 369 helicopter he was flying crashed into a Kauai reservoir. D'Attilio was attempting to collect water in a 140-gallon bucket to drop on a brushfire. Nicole Charnon is an air safety investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board. She says D'Attilio had a private pilot's license for airplanes and helicopter operations. He did not have the commercial license the Federal Aviation Administration generally requires for pilots who fly for federal, state or local agencies. The commercial pilot's requirement may be waived in emergencies. It's up to the F-A-A to decide whether the Christmas Day fire was an emergency. (Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved.)