Pilot killed in helicopter crash with Troy Gentry was a Middle Georgia State University grad

The helicopter pilot in the crash that killed country music star Troy Gentry on Friday was a recent graduate of Middle Georgia State University.

James Evan Robinson was taking the 50-year-old to the Flying W Airport in Medford, New Jersey, where Montgomery Gentry was set to perform at a resort there that night.

About 1 p.m., Robinson made a distress call. He said the helicopter was having mechanical problems, and needed to make an emergency landing soon, TheBlast.com reported.

They hovered over the airport for several minutes, but crashed before emergency crews could respond.

The 30-year-old’s body was pulled from the wreckage of the Schweizer 269 in a field south of the airport, nj.com reported. Gentry died at a hospital.

A picture on James Evan Robinson’s Facebook page posted in June shows a bachelor’s degree in aviation science and management from Middle Georgia State University. The page also says he lived in Medford, New Jersey, but Federal Aviation Administration records show he is from Meigs.

A website for a funeral home in Camilla posted that arrangements for Robinson were to be announced.

Robinson obtained a commercial pilot license in August 2015. According to the Facebook page, he worked for Helicopter Flight Services, which trains people how to fly helicopters and offers site-seeing tours.

The company grieved Robinson’s death publicly, posting videos, pictures and memories of the young pilot on its Facebook page.

Montgomery Gentry was the headliner for this year’s annual Fourth of July celebration in Warner Robins.

This story was originally published September 11, 2017 at 5:55 PM with the headline "Pilot killed in helicopter crash with Troy Gentry was a Middle Georgia State University grad."