Cleveland police chopper forced to make an emergency landing

MORROW COUNTY -- A Cleveland Police Department helicopter being flown to Columbus for routine maintenance had to make an emergency landing Monday morning due to engine failure.

The police helicopter's pilot managed to safely land the chopper in between two houses in rural Chesterville in central Ohio's Morrow County. The pilot put the $1 million chopper down about 20 miles outside Mansfield.

The pilot, Art Fantroy, is a 15-year police veteran who also flew helicopters during the Vietnam War and the first Gulf War.

A department spokesman says Fantroy was about 48-minutes into the flight when he began experiencing engine trouble. The spokesman says Fantroy relied on his 40-years plus of flying experience to safely negotiate the tricky landing.

"Officer Fantroy's cool-headed response to an emergency situation likely saved his life," said Chief of Police Michael McGrath. "His reliance on his experience and training enabled him to land under dire circumstances while preventing injuries on the ground or damage to property."

A crew from the Cleveland Police Aviation Unit has been sent to Morrow County to pick up the helicopter and take it on to Columbus where mechanics will look for the cause of the engine failure.