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Two people in a helicopter were killed Friday morning when it collided with a plane while flying near an airport southeast of Phoenix, police said.
Sgt. Jason McClimans of the Chandler Police Department told reporters officers received reports of a mid-air collision around 7:30 a.m. local time, adding that they had located the crash site upon arrival. .
The officer said the two people on the helicopter died, adding that authorities believed the plane, which contained two other people, may have landed safely near the municipal airport in Chandler, located approximately 22 miles southeast of Phoenix.
Police have yet to release the identities of the two killed.
Chandler Fire Department told NBC affiliate KPNX that the helicopter crashed to the ground and caught fire after colliding with the aircraft.
Shortly after the crash, the police department said on Twitter that traffic along the roads near the crash site was diverted in several directions, with police warning community members to avoid the area.
#TrafficAlert Avoid the Mcqueen / Queen Creek area due to a plane crash. Traffic is diverted in several directions. pic.twitter.com/MiMLJbPi2Q
– Chandler Police (@ChandlerPolice) October 1, 2021
We are at the scene of an air collision between a plane and a helicopter in a Chandler Airpark. We ask anyone who may have witnessed or videotaped this incident to contact Chandler PD at 480-782-4130. pic.twitter.com/KcmSHn3LQd
– Chandler Police (@ChandlerPolice) October 1, 2021
According to McClimans, the helicopter was operated by Quantum Helicopters and the aircraft is operated by Flight Operations Academy, both of which are flight schools.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement shared with The Hill that the aircraft was a single-engine Piper PA-28, and the helicopter a Robinson R22.
The FAA confirmed the plane landed safely on the runway “with damaged landing gear” as the helicopter crashed near the airport.
The agency added that it would investigate the collisions with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
“The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will provide further updates,” the FAA added, noting that “no agency is identifying those involved in plane crashes.”
McClimans told reporters on Friday that the airport had been closed for takeoffs and landings as they awaited the arrival of NTSB and FAA officials at the scene.
“I have no information on the cause of this incident,” the police spokesperson noted, adding that the department “is asking people who may have been in the area who witnessed and, or could have videotaped this incident to contact the Chandler Police Department. ”
“This will help us, as well as the NTSB and the FAA, to come to a definitive conclusion on how this tragic incident happened,” he added.
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