Overview

• The chopper went down just after 2 p.m. near Pacific Coast Highway by the Waterfront Beach Resort/Hyatt Regency, where it became wedged between palm trees and a pedestrian staircase.
• Authorities said two people were rescued from the helicopter and three pedestrians were injured, with all five transported to hospitals and their conditions not yet released.
• City officials temporarily closed stretches of PCH and nearby beach access to secure the scene and support the investigation.
• The FAA and NTSB have been notified, and investigators are reviewing extensive bystander video showing the aircraft spinning before impact; the cause has not been determined.
• Media reports identified the aircraft as a 1980 Bell 222 with tail number N222EX registered to Eric Nixon, a detail separate from the ongoing cause analysis.