A pilot killed in a helicopter crash in Oregon this week was identified by officials as William Bart Colantuono, a former cast member of TV's "Ax Men."

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The History Channel described Colantuono in a Season 3 cast biography as "a smart pilot who isn't afraid to take risks."

"He's been flying for a long time and views helicopter logging as a competitive sport. He competes against himself, against the machine and against the weather," the network said. "At the end of each day, the amount of logs left up on the landing tells him if he's won or lost. Bart has a lot riding on his shoulders, and he believes he's ready for the challenge."

The 54-year-old pilot was killed Monday while attempting to lift logs, People.com reported, adding federal investigators were still trying to determine exactly what went wrong and caused him to crash.