News outlets and Houston authorities have shared updates on a helicopter crash that led to the death of four people in the Texas city.
Four people in Houston, Texas tragically lost their lives after a helicopter crashed into a radio tower in Houston’s Second Ward, East End on Sunday, October 20 (2024). Video footage captured at 7:51:19 pm by a civilian named Jay Marroquin’s security camera displays the exact moment the accident occurred.
Recorded from the vantage point of the outside area of Marroquin’s home, the black-and-white footage showed the helicopter headed straight for the tower, which appeared to not be illuminated except for one flashing light at the very top. In seconds, the aircraft made contact with the looming structure.
After crashing, a huge explosion ensued, which sent the radio tower crumbling down to the ground. Aside from Marroquin’s video, the Houston Fire Department shared a post on X announcing the incident. At this time, there had been no reports of any fatalities or injuries.
“PIO is en route to a reported helicopter crash at Engelke & Ennis. Preliminary info that a helicopter hit a radio tower at about 7:54 pm […] All info further information will come from the scene,” reads their statement.
Following their first post, the department shared another. This one included images showing the wreck and damage and had a caption that explained, “The FAA will investigate. Media staging behind the Stellar Bank at Navigation and Ennis.”
Houston Mayor John Whitmire and authorities, who are investigating what caused the accident, also updated the public on the matter during a late-night conference.
According to Whitmire, Station 17 of the Houston Fire Department (HFD) had been just down the street from where the helicopter crashed and arrived at the scene minutes after hearing the explosion.
Addressing the public, Whitmire expressed, “This is a tragic event tonight, it’s a tragic loss of life.” Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz contextualized the crash, explaining how the helicopter had been traveling from Ellington Field and was en route to an unknown destination when the accident ensued.
After confirming that first responders sprung into action and made sure that Houston residents were “secure and safe,” Whitmire revealed, “We have a terrible accident scene. Multiple fatalities […] I’m going to be very cautious in my description of facts and details, but what I want to emphasize is that the area is secure.”
A news outlet reported that the morning after the crash (Monday, October 21), the Houston Police Department (HPD) confirmed that the four people, which included a child, who passed away were believed to have been on the helicopter when it crashed.
Regarding the fact that one of the fatalities was a child, Diaz clarified, “We don’t know the age ranges yet, but that we are pretty sure.”
Additionally, the identities of the deceased have not been disclosed yet. “My prayers are with the families of the people in the helicopter,” shared Diaz while speaking on the fatalities.
The authorities had also warned the public that they may have seen helicopter pieces and shards scattered around the area the next morning.
On this matter, they requested that any civilian who may have come across debris abstain from touching it and instead, notify the police or fire department, who would then remove it safely.
Aside from the fatalities, reports confirmed that no one who was on the ground got injured from the collapse of the tower. There were also no additional damages to the structures around it.
However, the fire that resulted from the crash burned approximately 100-200 yards of grass in the direct area surrounding the tower. This has since been extinguished.
Additional details include the fact that Houston City Councilmember for District H, Mario Castillo, confirmed that the helicopter was one used for private touring. Authorities also made it clear that the accident is still being investigated and more information will be dispersed in the days to come.
Since news of the tragedy has circulated public spheres, CNN published an article disclosing the fact that days before the crash, the radio tower’s lighting had problems.
A notice shared by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to pilots stipulated that the tower’s lights were “unserviceable” until the end of the month (October 2024).
The 2020 FAA guideline states that towers with heights of over 200 feet above ground level should be lighted and/or marked. Furthermore, any lighting outage “should be corrected as soon as possible.”
Given that helicopters typically fly at lower altitudes, guy wires, and towers tend to pose a hazard for helicopter pilots who may have trouble seeing such objects at night.
As the investigation into the crash continues, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones due to the accident.
