2 news copters collide over Phoenix; 4 killed

[LukeA]

http://www.abc15.com/news/local/stor...b-d82997dcdeda

4 dead in ABC15, Channel 3 chopper crash

By Chris Kline
ABC15.com

ABC15's helicopter has crashed into a park while covering a high speed chase.

Officials from the Phoenix Police Department say there are 4 confirmed fatalities, including Chopper15 Pilot Craig Smith and Photojournalist Rick Krolak.

A second helicopter belonging to KTVK (Channel 3) has also crashed into the park near Indian School Road and Central Avenue.

KTVK has confirmed pilot Scott Bowerbank and photographer Jim Cox have died in the crash.

The crash happened as both helicopters were covering a high speed chase in Phoenix.

The suspect in that chase was barricaded inside a West Valley home near 83rd Avenue and Thomas Road, but has since been arrested.

Witness Mary Lewis said she was stuck in traffic with her four grandsons and was watching the helicopters, turned to talk to the children, and then saw a fireball in the air when she looked 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."

Barbara Cochran, president of the Radio-Television News Directors Association in Washington, D.C., said the association didn't track fatalities among helicopter news pilots but that she could not recall another incident of two news choppers colliding while covering a story.

"The news directors at the stations are members of our association, and our heart really goes out to them in a situation like this," she said. "These pilots, they are very professional. They combine the skills of pilots and skills as journalists. It's something that's very, very sad."

FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said the FAA is reviewing air traffic control tapes to see if pilots were talking to controllers at that time.

"Typically air traffic controllers clear helicopters into an area where they can cover a chase like this," Gregor said. "Once in they are in the area, the pilots themselves are responsible for keeping themselves separated from other aircraft."

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http://www.breitbart.tv/html/3645.html - Video of ABC15's live transmission during the coverage of the chase. WARNING- this is very graphic.

[Sarah]

this is bizarre and very, very sad.

the warning had me a bit scared, but the video really wasn't that graphic. disturbing, yes.. but not the imagery i'd expected. thank god.

[SteveMacD]

While it's sad and I feel for their families, I have to say that maybe if the local news actually focused on things other than housefires, robberies, car chases, and other things that don't really affect anybody's life and actually focused on issues that will affect everybody in their audience, stupid things like this wouldn't happen.

The only time I really recall hearing any news about Ohio's state government is when I was at Ohio State, which is in Columbus, Ohio's state capital. But I've never heard anything, aside from continual bans on casinos, in either Dayton or Cincinnati.

And, honestly, the national news isn't much better. Do freak shows like Paris Hilton or Anna Nicole Smith really deserve that much attention from the actual news? Wolf Blitzer needs to go to Oz and ask the Wizard for a soul. Tonight's news had a story about the Simpsons movie. While I agree that show has become a cultural icon, I'd hardly call a movie THAT newsworthy. We have shows (hell even networks) already devoted to that.

[JWS]

This happened in Los Angeles about 20 years ago. A helicopter piloted by Francis Gary Powers (of U-2 spy plane fame) crashed into a busy golf course in the SFV. Powers was killed but fortunately no one on the ground was injured.

This is the first time I ever heard of two news copters running into each other.

[Beachwood Mac]

Originally Posted by JWS

This is the first time I ever heard of two news copters running into each other.

And you'd actually think it would happen more. The coverage of car chases in SoCal is totally unnecessary. Every channel has to cover it. It's almost like a weekly TV series as often as it's on.

[LukeA]

Originally Posted by Sarah

this is bizarre and very, very sad.

the warning had me a bit scared, but the video really wasn't that graphic. disturbing, yes.. but not the imagery i'd expected. thank god.

I posted the warning not necessarily with the video in mind, but the audio inside the helicopter, particularly after the shot cuts back to the studio.

Very horrific story.

[JWS]

Originally Posted by Beachwood Mac

And you'd actually think it would happen more. The coverage of car chases in SoCal is totally unnecessary. Every channel has to cover it. It's almost like a weekly TV series as often as it's on.

You are so right about that. It's almost every week and there are more copters then police cars giving chase. And, some of these last for hours until the idiot finally runs out of gas or crashes. No one ever escapes from these, but still they try.