Picture of helicopter just seconds before it crashed on El Segundo Boulevard, and the scene after the crash. (Juan Carlos Reyes/ KTLA-TV / March 13, 2011) |
LOS ANGELES (KTLA) -- A Sikorsky helicopter burst into flames after it crashed into a building in El Segundo Sunday morning, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
The accident happened around 9:40 a.m. at the Raytheon plant located at 2000 E. El Segundo Boulevard.
The helicopter was lifting a large air-conditioning unit off one of the buildings at the office complex, when the pilot lost control and crashed, authorities said.
The helicopter landed in a patio area and burst into flames, setting the first two floors of the building on fire.
"I'm really in shock... seeing the whole thing," witness Juan Carlos Reyes told KTLA. "I hope I never see this again."
Reyes said it looked like the cable carrying the load got caught on something. Then, after swaying back and forth, the chopper went down.
"When it first crashed, there was a pop... and white smoke started coming out," Reyes said. "Maybe about two minutes later, then black smoke started coming out... and that's when there was a huge explosion."
About 70 firefighters from the El Segundo Fire Department were able to put out the blaze in around 40 minutes.
The pilot, a man in his 50s, was pulled out of the cockpit right before the helicopter caught fire, according to FAA spokesman Mike Fergus.
He was taken to a local hospital with broken bones, cuts, and some burns, and is expected to recover.
No other injuries were reported.
The helicopter was completely destroyed, Fergus said.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are now investigating the accident.
The accident happened around 9:40 a.m. at the Raytheon plant located at 2000 E. El Segundo Boulevard.
The helicopter was lifting a large air-conditioning unit off one of the buildings at the office complex, when the pilot lost control and crashed, authorities said.
The helicopter landed in a patio area and burst into flames, setting the first two floors of the building on fire.
"I'm really in shock... seeing the whole thing," witness Juan Carlos Reyes told KTLA. "I hope I never see this again."
Reyes said it looked like the cable carrying the load got caught on something. Then, after swaying back and forth, the chopper went down.
"When it first crashed, there was a pop... and white smoke started coming out," Reyes said. "Maybe about two minutes later, then black smoke started coming out... and that's when there was a huge explosion."
About 70 firefighters from the El Segundo Fire Department were able to put out the blaze in around 40 minutes.
The pilot, a man in his 50s, was pulled out of the cockpit right before the helicopter caught fire, according to FAA spokesman Mike Fergus.
He was taken to a local hospital with broken bones, cuts, and some burns, and is expected to recover.
No other injuries were reported.
The helicopter was completely destroyed, Fergus said.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are now investigating the accident.
