Houston helicopter crash: Four killed, including a child, when plane crashes into radio tower in Second Ward

CNN
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Four people were killed, including a child, when a helicopter crashed into a radio tower behind homes in Houston’s Second Ward, causing a fiery explosion that toppled a building and scattered debris across the neighborhood, local officials said.

The accident occurred near Engelke and North Ennis streets just before 8:00 pm Sunday, causing a large explosion that could be heard almost from the fire station. half a mile from the scene, Houston Mayor John Whitmire said during a late-night news conference.

Four people were aboard the private Robinson R44 helicopter, according to Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz and federal officials. Whitmire confirmed that all four were killed, CNN affiliate KTRK reported.

“Preliminary information we have is that the helicopter was on a tourist flight when, under unknown circumstances, it crashed into a radio tower,” the National Transportation Safety Board said in a statement Monday.

The plane appears to have taken off from Ellington Airport, which is about 17 miles south of the crash site, but its destination is unclear, the mayor said.

While the cause of the crash remains unclear, NTSB officials are expected to arrive at the crash site Monday to inspect and recover the plane, CNN reported.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it was also investigating.

Surveillance video from a nearby home obtained by CNN shows the helicopter flying toward the tower before exploding on impact, lighting up the sky.

Bystander video shows firefighters urging onlookers to clear the area where the fire was burning and warning them of a nearby gas tank.

“Tonight a tragic event occurred. This is a tragic loss of life,” Diaz said.

According to a fire department spokesman, the fire had stopped as of 9:30 p.m.

“The residents are safe, but we have a terrible scene,” Whitmire said.

Photos provided by firefighters show the mangled tower located in a muddy clearing behind a line of houses.

Officials advised residents who see human remains around the crash site to leave the area and report it to authorities.

Some homes near the crash site lost power, Whitmire said.

The mayor said the city was “lucky” the explosion wasn’t more severe because there is a gas tank in the area.

According to CNN affiliate KPRC, Manuel Arciniega was nearby when the crash occurred.

“My buddy behind me told me to look up at the sky and I just saw a cell tower collapse. They said a helicopter hit him,” Arciniega told the affiliate.

“This will be a large investigation because of the scope of the accident,” Diaz said. If residents find helicopter parts in the area, they should not touch them and report it to firefighters or police, he added.

CNN’s Lauren Mascarenhas, Rosa Flores and Sarah Weisfeldt contributed to this report.