Two people died Friday after a small airplane and helicopter collided midair in a Phoenix suburb, emergency officials said.
The Chandler Fire Department said the crash happened around 7:30 a.m. at Chandler Airpark. The single-engine Piper PA-28 landed safely on the runway, but the Robinson R22 helicopter crashed and caught on fire.
#aviation #psa Awful news. This makes approx 10 pilots killed this year in Arizona alone, between accidents related to density altitude, wind, and traffic avoidance. Before you go up, make sure you do all proper preparation for a safe flight! https://t.co/CHsYM3iXV0
— gol3tron (@gol3tron) October 2, 2021
Chandler police Sgt. Jason McClimans said two people aboard the helicopter died, according to NBC News. He said Quantum Helicopters operated the helicopter and Flight Operations Academy operated the plane -- both were flying schools.
Tyler Detwiler, a student pilot who was preparing for his own flight, told KNXV-TV in Phoenix that he saw the crash.
"The helicopter went down really fast. They did collide in the air. The plane I know for sure was on final to land, so it was just about to be landing," he said.
"As soon as it hit the ground it always ... it was quick. It was a quick fireball."
The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration were investigating the crash.
This article has been adapted from its original source
