HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — A harrowing scene was played out on Saturday afternoon when a helicopter careened out of control over Huntington Beach, crashing into a line of palm trees along Pacific Coast Highway. The flailing descent, recorded on video by witnesses, injured five — two passengers in the aircraft and three pedestrians along the sidewalk.
The accident happened shortly after 2 p.m. local time, in the parking lot along the beach between Twin Dolphins Drive and Beach Boulevard, near the Hyatt Regency waterfront hotel. The helicopter is seen spinning clockwise in flight before it dove into a pedestrian stairway and got stuck between palms and a staircase along the sand’s edge in witness videos.
First responders were quick to respond, removing the two occupants of the helicopter from the wreckage and treating the three passersby on the ground. All five were taken to nearby hospitals; their current status is unknown at this time.
Officials say the helicopter was to take part in the forthcoming “Cars ‘N Copters on the Coast” event — a charity exhibition featuring exotic cars and helicopters. That it happened during setup for the event raises questions about what could have caused the breakdown.
The Huntington Beach Police and Fire departments have opened a comprehensive investigation, with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) being informed. No cause has yet been established. Authorities have closed segments of the Pacific Coast Highway between Huntington Street and Beach Boulevard as debris is removed and crash analysis continues.
Witnesses close to the site reported hearing unusual sounds prior to the aircraft starting to spin abnormally. Some had initially thought the stunt was a demonstration, but it soon became clear that the helicopter was not well. The witness opined that trees that came up beneath the plane potentially softened a preponderously more devastating crash, from which it managed to avoid running into crowds or creating a worse explosion.
The crash has caused safety concerns regarding low-altitude flight over public mass locations and events. While the investigation is ongoing, the authorities will look into mechanical histories, pilot radio transmissions, and possible environmental causes — wind, rotor failure, or foreign object impact — to see just what happened.
This accident, horrifying in its closeness to populated beach communities, highlights the risk that comes with air performances over populated public places. Although there has been no reported death, the hospitalization of five people is a serious event. As local authorities and federal authorities investigate together, the people of Huntington Beach — many of whom saw the crash occur firsthand — wait to know how this escapade happened and what might be done to ensure it does not happen again.
