HOUSTON – NTSB says they are in the early phases of their investigation into the deadly helicopter crash and collecting evidence from the scene in Houston’s Second Ward.
The area of Ennis Street was still blocked off a day after the crash as local crews made their way to the damage all Monday.
KPRC 2 obtained this surveillance video showing the moment the helicopter crashed into the radio tower around 8 p.m. Sunday.
SKY 2 chopper flew over the scene Monday morning, showing the aftermath from the sky.
NTSB described this scene as “complex” and says they plan to be back at the scene Tuesday and will have multiple investigators looking at the wreckage.
They are asking for witnesses to submit any information they have to witness@ntsb.gov.
What happened
The crash happened Sunday night when the helicopter struck a radio tower near 300 North Ennis Street.
According to Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz, the helicopter had taken off from Ellington Field and was headed to an unknown destination when it crashed.
HPD confirmed Monday morning that four people, including a child, are believed to have been on the helicopter that crashed.
KPRC 2′s Corley Peel spoke to a witness who says he works in rescue and never seen a crash site like this.
“I’ve been working to rescue half my life. And there was nothing I could describe as a helicopter,” the witness said. “I mean, it’s just I’ve never seen anything like that working rescue, like nothing. I knew as soon as I saw (the crash site) there was no signs of life.”
The victims have not been identified.
Authorities are asking anyone who may come across scattered debris from the crash to not touch it and to contact police or firefighters so they can come retrieve it.
No one on the ground was hurt from the crash and the collapse of the tower which was hit. No structures on the ground other than the tower were damaged.
The FAA, NTSB, DPS, HPD, and HFD are all investigating the crash.