Freak remote control helicopter accident kills 19 year old

Roman Pirozek

Wow.  How terrible to see a past-time turn into something so deadly.

A 19-year-old Queens man died Thursday afternoon after the remote control helicopter he was flying cut off part of his head and shoulder.

Roman Pirozek, from the Woodhaven neighborhood of Queens, was reportedly flying the helicopter with his father in Brooklyn's Calvert Vaux Park when he somehow lost control at about 3:30 pm.

According the law enforcement officials, the helicopter crashed into the teenager and sliced off the top of his head and part of his shoulder. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Pirozek was the vice-president of the Seaview Rotary Wings, a Brooklyn-based model helicopter flying club. He regularly traveled to fly remote control helicopters around the country, according to the Wall Street Journal.

In his final Facebook update, posted on August 25, Pirozek referenced his love of flying model helicopters, writing: "Great day for flying, the new frame brace is working great, breaking in some new packs i just got, they are the best that I have flown so far and loving them."

(from Gawker)