Dramatic footage from bystanders and local media shows a helicopter spiraling down and slamming into palm trees and a pedestrian bridge near Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach, CA, on Saturday, October 11. Two people aboard the helicopter and three bystanders on the ground were taken to hospitals; officials said an investigation is underway, with the NTSB and FAA notified. Multiple clips circulating on TV and social platforms capture the moments after impact, including beachgoers rushing in to lift wreckage off a trapped child.
City officials said the aircraft was in the area for the Cars ’N Copters weekend; witnesses reported seeing the helicopter flying low before it began spinning and crashed. Early reports vary on the model and the sequence of failure (some mention tail-rotor issues), but investigators have not announced a cause.
Authorities emphasized that the incident did not affect commercial airways or LAX/SoCal en-route traffic; disruptions were confined to the immediate beach area and local roads. As the probe proceeds, officials urged the public to avoid speculation and to share original footage directly with investigators.
Sources: CBS News, Fox News, Sky News, The New York Times
Images: KTLA, ABC News