Two men were killed Tuesday afternoon when the light helicopter they were flying in crashed into the roof of a building in North Salt Lake, Utah, authorities reported on Tuesday afternoon. Debris from the crash — the helo’s tail rotor — was found up to a half mile away, suggesting the aircraft may have broken up in flight. The Salt Lake Tribune reported late Tuesday that the helicopter may have been based at Bountiful Skypark Airport, just across the street from the crash site. It’s not known if the helicopter was arriving or departing from Bountiful.
Police identified the victims as Claus Hauer and Bruce Orr. According to the Tribune report, Hauer previously flew a news helicopter for KUTA 2News, a CBS affiliate in Salt Lake. Immediately before the helicopter crashed, witnesses reporting hearing a “pop” and Ardian Fazliu, who works nearby, said he saw the helicopter break into two pieces before the front section descended into the building. There was a small fire after the impact, but no one on the ground was injured, according to authorities.
