Five people - including a young child - were rushed to the hospital after a helicopter slammed into a line of trees just steps from the crowded sands of Huntington Beach, California, on Saturday afternoon, according to reports.
The helicopter was slowly descending toward the tree line when, without warning, it suddenly jerked upward and spiraled out of control around 2 p.m.
Two people aboard the helicopter were safely pulled out, while three bystanders on the ground were hurt, police told CBS News. All five victims were taken to the hospital, though their conditions remain unclear.
A helicopter came crashing down into a line of trees just off the busy shores of Huntington Beach, California, on Saturday afternoon.
The helicopter spun out of control and slammed into a row of palm trees right at the edge of the beach.
The California Highway Patrol said the crash happened near the site of the Cars ‘N Copters on the Coast event at the Waterfront Beach Resort.
The trouble started when the helicopter began spinning sideways after its rear rotor appeared to fail.
The chopper plunged toward the ground but was partially cushioned by a row of palm trees along the beach. One tree snapped and toppled onto the downed aircraft, video footage shows.
The impact tore the tail off the helicopter, leaving the mangled fuselage wedged between a cluster of palm trees and a nearby staircase, aerial footage from CBS News shows.
“You can hear this odd sound that didn’t sound right. I looked out and I see the helicopter spiraling out of control. My friend saw shrapnel, or just debris, catapulting across PCH,” Kevin Bullat, who watched the crash happen, told CBS News.
The California Highway Patrol told KTLA that the crash occurred near the Cars ‘N Copters on the Coast event at the Waterfront Beach Resort.
The helicopter’s tail broke off in the crash, and its body became wedged between the palm trees and a nearby staircase.
A spokesperson for Huntington Beach told the outlet that the helicopter was “linked to the Cars and Copters event,” a high-octane automotive and helicopter showcase that raises funds for the Huntington Beach Police & Community Foundation, according to the event’s website.
The helicopter’s owner, Eric Nixon, is an aviation thrill-seeker known for tackling daring flight routes and sharing his high-flying stunts on Instagram.
Eric Nixon has been identified as the helicopter’s owner, but it remains unclear whether he was behind the controls when the crash occurred. (instagram/nixon.helicopters)
All five individuals were rushed to the hospital, though the extent of their injuries remains unclear.
A video shared on Cars ‘N Copters’ social media on September 15 hyped the upcoming appearance of Nixon’s Bell 222SP—tail number N222E—the same helicopter that crashed Saturday while taking off dangerously close to a crowd.
“The Bell 222SP which gained a ton of popularity from the 80s show Airwolf. Seeing one in person is rare. Excited to have it back! Thank you @nixon.helictopers,” the post read.
It remains unclear whether Nixon was at the controls of the Bell 222SP when Saturday’s crash occurred.
According to its website, the annual auto and aircraft showcase was sold out and slated to kick off on October 12.
The event featured an 'exclusive helicopter landing party' at the Offshore9 Rooftop Lounge—also part of the Waterfront Beach Resort—running from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. PDT on Saturday, according to its website.
City officials said the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board have been notified, and an investigation into the crash is already underway.
