Overview

• Two people were rescued from the helicopter and three pedestrians were injured, with all five taken to hospitals as their conditions were not immediately released.
• The incident occurred shortly after 2 p.m. near the Hyatt pedestrian bridge and Waterfront Beach Resort area, and police closed Pacific Coast Highway between Huntington Street and Beach Boulevard for several hours.
• Multiple videos show the aircraft spinning out of control before striking palm trees and a pedestrian staircase, while witnesses reported a part falling off the helicopter; officials have not determined a cause.
• City officials said the aircraft was associated with the Cars ’N Copters on the Coast weekend, and local reports noted a pre‑event helicopter landing party nearby.
• Federal authorities were notified and an inquiry is underway, with some reports and public records identifying the helicopter as a 1980 Bell 222 (N222EX) linked to aviation influencer Eric Nixon, a detail not yet confirmed by investigators.