Discovery Channel Helicopter Crash - H 2013
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One of the three victims of the early morning fatal helicopter crash in Acton, Calif., was an Army Special Forces veteran, the New York Times reports.
Michael Donatelli, 45, had retired from the military five years ago after serving for 20 years — including as a member of the Delta Force while serving in Iraq, according to the Times.
STORY: Three Dead in Discovery Reality Show Helicopter Crash
Donatelli was a cast member in what was described by the show’s production company, Eyeworks USA, as an “untitled military show” for the Discovery channel.
“They were supposed to do six episodes,” Donatelli’s father, William, told the Times. “They were working on the first one.”
The helicopter — which is said to have crashed around 3:40 a.m. Sunday — was flying at Polsa Rosa Movie Ranch on Soledad Canyon Road. Pilot David Gibbs, 59, along with Darren Rydstrom, 45, were also identified as victims, according to multiple reports.
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