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Helicopter crashes onto busy Florida highway, rotor blade hits truck, killing passenger

Posted at 2:25 PM, Apr 04, 2019
and last updated 2019-04-04 17:26:24-04

PALM RIVER, Fla. — One person is dead following a helicopter crash in Palm River, Florida Thursday afternoon.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, a helicopter suffered a catastrophic engine failure and made a hard landing on 50th Street at Palm River Road a little before 2:30 p.m.

After the hard landing, one of the rotor blades came off, hitting a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck that was carrying a man and his son. The rotor blade hit the father who was inside the truck, killing him at the scene.

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Deputies said the son, who was driving the truck, was transported to Tampa General Hospital. Officials did not specify his condition.

Authorities have not released the father and son's identities.

FHP said no other injuries were reported in the incident. All lanes of 50th Street and Palm River Road are expected to remain closed for another 6-12 hours as troopers investigate this deadly incident.

According to deputies, the two people in the helicopter were highly trained pilots and had recently been in for service. The helicopter was on its way to Sarasota before pieces of blades fell off.

FlightAware tracking shows the path the helicopter took and where it crashed.

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TECO crews have been called to the scene for downed wires.

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