2 Dead After Two TV News Choppers Collide

FOXNEWS ^

[DirtyPigpen]

DEVELOPING STORY: Two television news helicopters collided Friday and crashed while covering a police pursuit, killing at least two people.

Both helicopters went down in a park in central Phoenix and caught fire.

The collision happened as the two choppers broadcast live coverage of police pursuing a truck. Cameras aboard both aircraft were pointed at the ground, so viewers did not witness the accident. The first indication of trouble came when pictures from the helicopters went dead.

Television station KNXV reported that it owned one of the choppers. The other was from KTVT, which reported that both the pilot and photographer were killed in the crash.

Just before the collision, the driver of the truck that was being pursued had jumped out of pickup and carjacked another truck.

News helicopters from other television stations were also in the area.

[HarmlessLovableFuzzball]

I will stop by and take a look on my way home.

[HarmlessLovableFuzzball]

[Toddsterpatriot]

Wow!

[kingu]

Here in Los Angeles, when there is a televised pursuit, all the television helicopters assign each other positions, and then communicate with each other extensively just to prevent this type of accident. But it sounds like there’s just one person in each in the helicopters in Phoenix, which I think is just too much for a pilot to handle, filming and flying at the same time.

[TaMoDee]

Where is the park?

[aft_lizard]

Right next to the VA Medical Center off of 3rd st and Indian School.

[StayAt HomeMother]

Fox now reporting FOUR dead. “A pilot and photographer aboard each chopper were killed.”

[Jeff Chandler]

My nephew works for Channel 3 and knew the men involved. He’s upset over it.

[Jeff Chandler]

Where's the park?

The two choppers came down on the grass lawn in front of a boarded-up church at the park.

Just a wild guess-there is a boarded up church by a park down by 16th St. and Buckeye.

[TaMoDee]

See Post #7.

[HungarianGypsy]

It was the old Indian School that is now a park. Central and Indian School.

[HungarianGypsy]

Condolences to your nephew and all his co-workers. The Channel 3 employees seem like good people.

[Wolverine]

America relishes car chases and helicopter crashes.

 

I can't believe the car runner can be charged with the deaths of the helicopter crews, as stated by Shep!!

[Jeff Chandler]

It was the old Indian School that is now a park. Central and Indian School.

That would be the Steel Indian School Park. I just happen to have a web design client who did electrical contracting work there and so I set up a "Project" page for that park which includes a photo: Steel Indian School Park.

[Jeff Chandler]

Thank you. I don’t know the folks there, but my nephew, Charlie, is a great guy.

[Drago]

Location?:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Steel+Indian+School+Park,+Phoenix,+AZ&ie=UTF8&ll=33.495634,-112.07001&spn=0.014852,0.026951&t=h&z=16&om=1

[aft_lizard]

I canceled a VA appointment that I had for today so there is a possibility if I had kept it I would have witnessed something I would rather not witness.

[BenLurkin]

Felony Murder Rule.

[TaMoDee]

Years ago in California an Orange County Sheriff Helio and a LA County Sheriff Helio collided during a car chase.
(Mis-Que on the hand off from one LEO Agency to another.)
Driver was charged with murder. If you are part of a felony
and someones dies -— murder charge.