Self-Taught Pilot
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Russian Inventor, 88, Dies in Helicopter Crash: Blade Fracture Causes Fatal Head Injury
An 88-year-old Russian inventor, identified as Lapeznikov, died in the Kirov region while testing his homemade helicopter. Video suggests a structural failure occurred during takeoff, causing a detached rotor blade to strike his head. Despite being rushed to a hospital, he died from his injuries. Lapeznikov, a former lumber company driver and self-taught designer, had reportedly built and flown five aircraft previously, fulfilling his lifelong dream of flight.
