Image: ABC7
A Robinson R44 helicopter crashed into a house in a gated community in Newport Beach, California, about 2 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, killing three of the four people on board. A person on the ground nearby also was injured by debris from the crash. A witness who spoke to CBS Los Angeles said he saw the chopper “drop like a rock.”Another witness told The Associated Press it looked as if the pilot was trying to land in the street, “but clipped the roof across the street and didn’t make it.” The pilot and two passengers died, and the third passenger was seriously hurt. The bystander was treated for minor injuries and released from the hospital. One person was in the damaged house, but was unhurt, according to local reports. The NTSB is investigating.
The helicopter was based at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, which is about a mile from the crash site, and had taken off from there. The four-seat R44 was operated on lease by Revolution Aviation, which offers flight training and sightseeing tours. It was heading for Catalina Island, a resort area, about 40 miles away. It’s not yet clear what was the purpose of the flight.
