3 Die, 3 Hurt In Catalina Helicopter Crash
CATALINA ISLAND -- A chartered helicopter crashed on the west end of Catalina Island, killing three people and critically three others today, authorities said.
The Eurocopter AS 350 operated by Island Express took off from Long Beach and went down amid drizzly weather about 9:20 a.m. crash near the Banning House lodge at Two Harbors, which is on the opposite end of the island from Avalon, Steve Whitmore of the sheriff's department said.
A woman at the lodge said the engine apparently quit over Isthmus Cove, which caters to boaters, and the chopper went down about 200 or 300 yards inland in some grass.
Another witness said that he heard a pop and saw smoke coming from the exhaust as the helicopter went down.
Helicopters airlifted three injured to mainland hospitals. Flores said their condition at time of transport was critical, and they would require treatment for broken bones among other injuries.
The crash caused a grass fire, which was put out quickly before spreading. It was overcast and drizzling at the time of the crash.
Federal Aviation Administration records show the helicopter departed from Long Beach and was scheduled to return to that city. The crash occurred less than an hour after the helicopter picked up passengers on the island.
The names of those killed were unavailable.
It was unclear if the pilot was among the dead. No one with Island Express was available for comment, but the owner was said to be at the scene.
The Eurocopter AS-350 is a single-engine helicopter that seats six or seven, according to the maker's Web page.
