A Chicago TV news helicopter covering the recovery of missing person Karen Schepers’ car from the Fox River Tuesday made a safe emergency landing at Wing Park Golf Course in Elgin.
Mike Lehman, director of golf operations for the city of Elgin, said the NBCSky5 helicopter landed at the golf course about noon. The pilot told him the copter’s gauges indicated it was overheating, he said.
The helicopter had been hovering above the Slade Avenue boat launch where crews were working to remove a 1980 Toyota Celica that investigators confirmed belonged to Karen Schepers, 23, who lived in Elgin and disappeared April 16, 1983, when returning to Elgin from a Carpentersville bar where she’d gone with coworkers.
According to an NBC 5 news report, the helicopter’s cockpit warning light indicated an engine problem so the pilot made a precautionary emergency landing. No one was injured in the incident.
Lehman said the pilot called a repair service, which had the helicopter back in the air by 3:30 p.m.
“He’s a great guy. I am glad he is safe,” Lehman said. “The (golf) course doesn’t open until Friday so I gave him a Wing Park shirt before he left.”
Mike Danahey is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
