Highway Patrol chopper crashes in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Two Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers were injured Wednesday when their helicopter crashed in Springfield, the patrol said.

The chopper spun wildly before going down about 10:30 a.m. in a grassy area about 50 feet west of U.S. 65 just north of Chestnut Expressway, authorities said.

Sgts. David Callaway and Matt Funderburk both suffered back injuries and were taken to St. John's Health Center, where they were in fair condition.

The two troopers had just taken off on mission to look for cultivated marijuana, said Lt. Terry Moore, spokesman for the highway patrol's Troop D.

It was "miraculous" that the helicopter didn't hit a vehicle on U.S. 65 or a building, Moore said.

"One of the witnesses said that whoever was piloting the craft did a tremendous job to make sure it didn't land on the highway and to get it off on the shoulder portion," Moore said. "Nothing short of experience and the grace of God allows something like this to conclude with, perhaps, two moderate or minor injuries."

No further details were immediately available on the cause of the crash, the patrol said. The patrol and, possibly, the Federal Aviation Administration are expected to investigate the accident.