NEED TO KNOW
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A helicopter crashed in rural Minnesota, bursting into flames as it hit the ground and killing both people on board
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Police and firefighters were called to a remote area of Lakeville, located near Airlake Airport, at around 2:45 p.m. local time on Saturday, Sept. 6, after reports of a helicopter crash
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The helicopter — identified by the FAA as a five-seat, single-engine turbine Robinson R66 — was carrying two people
A helicopter crashed in rural Minnesota, bursting into flames as it hit the ground and killing both people on board.
According to the city of Lakeville, located about 25 miles south of Minneapolis, police were called to a remote area near the regional Airlake Airport at around 2:45 p.m. local time on Saturday, Sept. 6.
Officers and firefighters located the downed helicopter — identified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as a five-seat, single-engine turbine Robinson R66 helicopter — near Highview Avenue and 219th Street West.
According to a statement from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the helicopter crashed under unknown circumstances, and a post-crash fire ensued.
“Responding officers, along with members of the Lakeville Fire Department, determined there did not appear to be any survivors of the crash,” the city said in a statement. “The crash site is located in a non-residential, non-commercial area, and there is no indication of any impacted individuals beyond those onboard the aircraft.”
The FAA told PEOPLE in a statement that two people were on board the helicopter at the time of the crash. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office is set to identify the victims in the coming days.
Aerial footage of the crash site, captured by KSTP, showed wreckage from the Robinson on the ground next to railroad tracks and train cars, as police and other officials stood among the burned rubble.
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The FAA and NTSB are both investigating the crash, the agencies told PEOPLE, with the NTSB leading the investigation.
Officials will look into the pilot, aircraft and operating environment to determine the cause of the crash, per the NTSB. Investigators will also evaluate flight tracking data, air control recordings, weather conditions and more.
Witnesses to the accident, or those who have surveillance video or other information that could be relevant to the investigation, have been asked to contact the NTSB at witness@ntsb.gov.
Read the original article on People
