"They're powered by the free fall, engineered so the rotor speed maintains lift," House said of his Bell 47-D, a "M*A*S*H"-style helicopter with a bubble front and body painted fire engine red instead of Army green.

"He did a fantastic job," said Sgt. Joseph Wydock, one of three state police troopers who arrived at the site shortly before noon.

"I knew things were going to turn out good," House said after the incident. "I'm still glad when it did."