The helicopter that wildly spun out of control and crashed at a California beach, wounding five, was owned by a daredevil pilot known for performing death-defying stunts.
Aviation enthusiast Eric Nixon regularly shares videos of his dramatic aviation tricks while piloting his Bell 22SP chopper on his Instagram.
His father-in-law, Jerry Miller, confirmed to the Orange County Register that Nixon was among those injured onboard the helicopter that crashed in Huntington Beach on Saturday afternoon.
“He’s in the hospital with some broken ribs, crushed vertebrae and several bruises,” Miller told the local outlet.
“But I’m sorry, we have some things going on” he said before hanging up.
Nixon’s helicopter crashed in Huntington Beach just before it was due to feature in Saturday’s “Cars and Copters” event there.
A child and two adults were injured on the ground, as well as Nixon and another person with him on the chopper. Their conditions are unknown.
The chopper was flying to join the flashy display of exotic cars and private helicopters on the waterfront when it appeared to lose control, plunging to the ground in front of horrified onlookers.
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