News Helicoptors crash into each other in Phoenix

[RecycleMichael]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070727/ap_on_re_us/helicopters_collide

Two helicopters collide over Phoenix By JACQUES BILLEAUD, Associated Press Writer

PHOENIX - Two news helicopters collided and crashed Friday while covering a police pursuit on live television, 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 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 one of the helicopters broke up, then showed spinning images before the station switched to the studio. Television station KNXV reported that it owned one of the choppers. The other was from KTVK, which reported that the pilot and photographer were killed in the crash.

Within a minute, other stations with helicopters in the area began reporting news of the crash. The two choppers came down on the grass lawn in front of a boarded-up church at the park. Firefighters swarmed to the area as thick black smoke rose from the scene. Mary Lewis said she was stuck in traffic with her four grandsons and was watching the helicopters. She turned to talk to the children, then saw a fireball in the air when she looked up again.

"I looked up and I see this 'boom,' and I see one of the helicopters coming down, and I said 'Oh my God,'" Lewis said. She said she went to the crash site to help, but there was nothing she could do. "It's nothing there," Lewis said. "Just burned-up stuff."

Are television helicoptors becoming a hazard? I have always worried that they might make a delicate crime situation worse. I also don't like the noise and pollution from helicoptors.

Is it news coverage or just high-priced paparazzi?

[Rowdy]

Thank God no one else was hurt.

[Conan71]

Have to say I'm with you 100% on your comments RM.

[cannon_fodder]

Its "entertainment" more than news.  I mean, a high speed chase IS news, but the coverage is being utilized for its entertainment value more than newsworthiness.  Gotta sell the footage to "Cops".

I agree with the paparazzi comments.

[dbacks fan]

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0727coptercrash27-ON.html

http://www.azcentral.com/php-bin/commphotos/show.php?colid=2148&slide_nbr=1&HTTP_REFERER=http://www.azcentral.com/

The fortunat thing is that within a half mile of the crash site is a VA Hospital, two fifteen story apartment buildings, a Holiday Inn, two college prep schools and a host of convenience stores and business, as well as two main streets.

I agree that this will change the way that TV stations use helicopters for news reporting. All five helicopters were in the air within five minutes of each other to follow the chase as well as two Phoenix Police helicopters.

[DM]

Channel 5 in Phoenix was asking the same thing. How will this change news coverage from a helicopter? Not just in their city but across the country. I know that the KOTV chopper crashing was not national but how many other news choppers crash and we don't hear about it?

Also, they were saying on the same news broadcast that the police chase they were covering, those people driving the car could be charged with their deaths?? I did not quite get that. Dont they assume the risks when covering the story?

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by dbacks fan

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0727coptercrash27-ON.html

http://www.azcentral.com/php-bin/commphotos/show.php?colid=2148&slide_nbr=1&HTTP_REFERER=http://www.azcentral.com/

The fortunat thing is that within a half mile of the crash site is a VA Hospital, two fifteen story apartment buildings, a Holiday Inn, two college prep schools and a host of convenience stores and business, as well as two main streets.

I agree that this will change the way that TV stations use helicopters for news reporting. All five helicopters were in the air within five minutes of each other to follow the chase as well as two Phoenix Police helicopters.

All within an already fairly busy "Class B" airspace I might add.

Surprised this didn't happen during the slow speed Bronco chase w/ OJ out in LA.

[dbacks fan]

quote:Originally posted by DM

Channel 5 in Phoenix was asking the same thing. How will this change news coverage from a helicopter? Not just in their city but across the country. I know that the KOTV chopper crashing was not national but how many other news choppers crash and we don't hear about it?

Also, they were saying on the same news broadcast that the police chase they were covering, those people driving the car could be charged with their deaths?? I did not quite get that. Dont they assume the risks when covering the story?

From KPHO in Phoenix:

http://www.kpho.com/news/13770683/detail.html

I think what the PIO for Phoenix PD is reffering to is that it will be investigated as if the victims were in a car, or pedestrian and struck and killed. I believe that there is a statute in AZ that if you cause the death directly or indirectly while commiting a felony crime, you can be charged with murder. There arew three felony charges in this situation, the first is auto theft, second he rammed a police officer in his crusier, and third the second car jacking.

[DM]

Thanks dbacksfan.

Personally I think that all police officers should be allowed to just shot the driver of the car (if they can) during a pursuit. They are endangering the lives of people. So in order to protect they can shot them. I bet there would be a lot fewer pursuits

[dbacks fan]

This is a video clip from channel 10 the Fox affiliate here. (15 second commercial first) He arrived right as the two crashed into each other.

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=3901134&version=7&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1

[inteller]

this was inevitable.  just another reason why high speed pursuits should just be called off.

[Tulsa Twister]

quote:Originally posted by DM

Thanks dbacksfan.

Personally I think that all police officers should be allowed to just shot the driver of the car (if they can) during a pursuit. They are endangering the lives of people. So in order to protect they can shot them. I bet there would be a lot fewer pursuits

Repeat 3X what you just said and perhaps you'll realize how ridiculous this idea sounds.

If you have cops shooting on the run (which is very difficult) trying to hit a moving target such as a speeding vehicle, you will have more problems than you bargain for. Not to mention a significant increase in innocent civilians being struck by wayward bullets or bullets that might ricochet off of another object and strike an innocent bystander. Not to mention if cops are inclined to shoot on the run, these suspects may decide to engage or return fire then you have firefights all over big city America. Who loses...........again ?

Re-think your comments...........this is no fault of anyone on the ground.

[Johnboy976]

Shooting at the car seems to work in Georgia... then again, they are VERY back-water out there. I agree, shooting at a moving car is just asking for trouble.

[Wilbur]

quote: Are television helicoptors becoming a hazard? I have always worried that they might make a delicate crime situation worse. I also don't like the noise and pollution from helicoptors.

Tulsa has the same problem.  When TPD's helicopter goes out on a crime, it is often competing for air space with the local media.

quote: I believe that there is a statute in AZ that if you cause the death directly or indirectly while commiting a felony crime, you can be charged with murder.

Most states have that same law, including Oklahoma.

[dbacks fan]

For those interested I have some more info on this event.

The way the airspace over Phoenix is governed, and this came from an FAA spokesperson, "When news helicopters are traveling through the airspace over Phoenix, they are controlled by the controllers at Sky Harbor Airport. When they are hovering over a scene, they are to police themselves and inform each other as to where they are and what their intentions are."

recyclemicheal, I respect your question as to wether this is news or high paid paparrazzi.
These people were not paparrazzi in any sense of the word. They were covering a news situation that was going on involving a felony suspect. They were not hovering over the latest scandal in Hollywood.

The news helicopters here in Phoenix work very closely with both police and fire in all of the suburbs in the area, and have been very instrumental in search and rescues, and finding things before they can.
There is one incident that I can relay to this. There was an accident on a valley freeway late at night involving two cars racing that had an accident. The next morning one of the local stations was out doing morning shots and early news in their helicopter when they found a vehicle that was off the side of the freeway in a drainage culvert. The victims, and their vehicle could not be seen from the roadway. The Highway Patrol came out to investigate and followed up on info gathered from that scene and was able to tie the people they had contact with previously as having collided with the one in the culvert, and connecting them with a fatal hit and run.

I felt that I just needed to say this.