Chopper collision in Torrance

Thursday, November 6, 2003

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(11-06) 16:33 PST TORRANCE, Calif. (AP) --

Two helicopters collided in mid-air over the municipal airport
Thursday afternoon, killing two people and injuring a third, police
said.

The crash took place at about 3:30 p.m. at the Torrance Airport, Lt.
Mark Hein said.

Two of the dead were from one helicopter and the injured person was
from the other, said Officer Dave Crespin. The survivor had leg and
head injuries, Hein said.

The identity of the victims and the cause of the crash were not
immediately known.

Two victims were on a Robinson R-44, a four-seat helicopter, and the
survivor was aboard a two-seat R-22, Federal Aviation Administration
officials said.

The flight plans of the two aircraft were not immediately known.

Robinson, which is based at the airport, produces a popular line of
helicopters that are widely used for news, police and training. The
company says the R-44 is the world's most popular helicopter.

A call seeking comment from the company was not immediately answered
Thursday.

The burnt wreckage of one helicopter was on a runway and a second,
more intact helicopter was in a cornfield nearby.

One covered body could be seen on the runway of the airport 20 miles
southeast of downtown Los Angeles.

Guy Hindenberger, an auto detailer for a nearby car dealership, was in
its second floor parking lot when he and an attendant heard the crash.
He said it appeared the helicopters were about 300 or 400 feet above
the airport when they collided.

"We turned around and looked and saw two helicopters that had
contacted in mid-air. We could see the tails on both the helicopters
seemed to be bent," he said. "One went straight down to the tarmac and
exploded instantly," and the other fell out of sight behind airport
buildings.

"I was in shock," he said. "I couldn't believe it. ... I'd rather
watch it in a movie than see it in person."