Search party scouring for wreckage following helicopter collision with a radio antenna in Houston, resulting in fatalities of 4 individuals. Gathered information:
A privately-owned Robinson R44 helicopter collided with a defective radio tower shortly after takeoff from Ellington Airport, located approximately 17 miles away from the crash site.
Investigators are currently exploring the possibility that the malfunctioning lights on the tower contributed to the crash, which left the tower in ruins.
As of yet, the identities and ages of the pilot and three passengers, one of whom was a child, have not been disclosed by authorities.
Brian Rutt, a safety investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, described the crash scene as "complex" and stated that the investigation is still in its early stages on Monday.
Here are the key details:
The Crash's Immediate Aftermath
At around 8 p.m. on Sunday, the helicopter was soaring at an altitude of approximately 600 feet when it collided with the 1,000-foot tower, as per investigators and open-source data.
Remarkably, there were no injuries on the ground, and nearby homes sustained no damage. However, some vehicles were impacted, officials reported. The crash triggered a fire that burned around 100 to 200 yards of grass.
The crash occurred near Engelke Street and North Ennis Street, just east of downtown Houston. Such a calamity led to a massive explosion, as confirmed by Mayor John Whitmire at a Sunday evening press conference.
Firefighters from a nearby station rushed to the scene following the crash, and Whitmire described the sight as a "terrible accident," noting that both the tower and the helicopter were entirely demolished. Some nearby residents experienced power outages, he added.
Lawrence Gurule, an onlooker, stated that he heard an explosion-like noise while watching a football game on Sunday night. Gurule then ventured outside and witnessed smoke billowing from the area where the tower had once stood.
Lighting Issue
The prevailing belief is that the tower's lighting system had been malfunctioning for several days before the crash. Furthermore, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a public notice on Thursday warning that the tower’s lights were deemed "unserviceable" until the end of the month.
FAA guidelines mandate that towers above 200 feet should be marked and/or lit, while any light-outage issues should be addressed promptly. Towers and their guy wires, used for structural support, present a substantial risk to low-flying helicopters, which can be challenging to spot at night.
Video footage from the crash shows that at least one flashing light was positioned at the tower's apex, although the rest of the tower appeared unlit.
Investigators are still attempting to determine the crash cause, and the NTSB informed CNN that additional investigators would arrive at the site on Monday evening to examine and retrieve the aircraft's debris.
The flight was classified as a "sightseeing" tour, with the helicopter being registered to Porter Equipment Holdings LLC based in Magnolia, Texas, according to the FAA. CNN reached out to the company for comment.
Law enforcement personnel were scouring the area for debris on Monday, and the Houston Police Department’s vehicular crimes division performed a 3D scan over a 4-acre area to provide data to both the NTSB and FAA.
Authorities advised residents to leave debris near the crash site untouched and report any findings to authorities.
CNN’s Pete Muntean, Elizabeth Wolfe, Sarah Dewberry, Lauren Mascarenhas, Rosa Flores, Sara Weisfeldt, and Jillian Sykes contributed to this report.
The helicopter was privately owned and operated, with ['us'] being the pilot and three passengers aboard.Authorities are urging residents to leave any debris at the crash site and report any findings to them as the investigation continues.
