Helicopter Plummets Into California Neighborhood, 2 Injuries Reported

FRESNO, CA — A helicopter crashed between two Fresno homes Saturday morning, police say. The helicopter pilot, 47, and the passenger, 33, were hospitalized with minor injuries and no one on the ground or in the homes was injured, Lt. Charlie Chamalbide said at the scene.

Fresno police responded to calls of a helicopter crashing into the neighborhood in the 4900 block of E. Garrett Avenue just after 10 a.m., officials say.

Police found the pilot and passenger next to the crash site, and medics took them both to a nearby hospital for further treatment. They are expected to survive, according to an ABC7 report.

Ring video from across the street shows the craft spinning out of control and shearing off part of a palm tree before slamming to the ground.

The pilot of the survey helicopter told police that they heard a pop! and then started losing altitude. "That's as far as we know," Chamalbide said.

Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating what led to the crash, and the NTSB will lead the investigation, an FAA spokesperson confirmed.