A helicopter crashed into a row of palm trees near Huntington Beach on Saturday afternoon, leaving five people — including a child - hospitalized, officials confirmed.
The chopper had been descending toward a tree line when it unexpectedly rocketed upward, spun sideways, and lost control at around 2:00PM.
Two people onboard were extracted safely, while three bystanders on the ground also suffered injuries. All five were transported to hospital; their current conditions remain unknown, according to police speaking with CBS News.
Rotor failure suspected as chopper spirals out of control
Witnesses described a sudden malfunction: the helicopter began to spin, its tail rotor apparently ceasing operation. As it plummeted, a cluster of palm trees absorbed part of the impact - one snapped and fell onto the fuselage, video footage showed.
The tail section broke off, and the helicopter’s body was wedged between palm trunks and a nearby stairway, captured in aerial shots broadcast by CBS News.
“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,” said Kevin Bullat, who witnessed the crash.
Connection to Cars ‘N Copters event raises more questions
Authorities confirmed the accident occurred near the Cars ‘N Copters event at the Waterfront Beach Resort.
A Huntington Beach spokesperson said the helicopter was “associated with the Cars and Copters event,” which raises funds for the Huntington Beach Police & Community Foundation.
The downed aircraft has been identified as Eric Nixon’s Bell 222SP — a classic model made famous by the 1980s show Airwolf.
Nixon is a known aviation enthusiast who posts daring flight routes to Instagram, though it’s unclear whether he was piloting the aircraft at the time of the crash.
A September 15 social media post from the event’s account teased Nixon’s Bell 222SP appearance, tail number N222E, writing: “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.”
Event timing and aftermath
The annual Cars ‘N Copters showcase — selling out ahead of the weekend — had an exclusive helicopter landing party scheduled that afternoon, from 12:30 to 3:30PM PDT at the Offshore9 Rooftop Lounge.
City officials confirmed that both the FAA and NTSB have been alerted, and a formal investigation is underway into the crash.
Sacramento Crash
Another emergency ended with a REACH Air Medical helicopter crashing onto the blazing lanes of Highway 50 in Sacramento last Monday.
The incident happened just after 7:00PM, leaving the pilot, a nurse, and a paramedic in critical condition, officials confirmed. Despite the aircraft coming down in the middle of eastbound traffic, miraculously, no drivers or passengers on the highway were injured.