JOHN ADAMSBy JACQUES BILLEAUD, Associated Press Writer
PHOENIX - Federal investigators hope to determine why two news helicopters covering a police chase on live television collided and crashed to the ground, killing all four people on board.
Both helicopters from local TV stations went down in a grassy park in central Phoenix and caught fire Friday afternoon. No one on the ground was hurt.
TV viewers did not witness the accident because cameras aboard both aircraft were pointed at the ground, but they saw video from one of the helicopters break up and begin to spin before the station abruptly switched to the studio.
Killed on board the KTVK helicopter were pilot Scott Bowerbank and photographer Jim Cox, the station reported. On board the KNXV aircraft were reporter-pilot Craig Smith and photographer Rick Krolak, that station said.
A Federal Aviation Administration investigator was at the crash scene by late Friday and National Transportation Safety Board investigators were expected to arrive Saturday.
The helicopters were covering the police pursuit of a work truck. Just before the collision, the driver had jumped out of the nearly disabled flatbed pickup and carjacked another truck. The man was later taken into custody by a SWAT team after barricading himself inside a house.
Just before the picture broke up, Smith said, "Oh geez!"
Police identified the suspect as Christopher J. Jones, 23, and said he was booked into jail late Friday night on two counts of vehicle theft, four counts of aggravated assault on a police officer and one count of resisting arrest with other charges expected to be filed later.
Earlier on Friday, Phoenix Police Chief Jack Harris suggested the suspect could "be held responsible for any of the deaths from this tragedy."
The two helicopters came down on the lawn in front of a boarded-up church at the park. Firefighters swarmed to the area as thick black smoke rose from the scene.
Rick Gotchie, an air conditioning contractor, was working nearby when he noticed the helicopters overhead. He said they began circling closer as he continued watching, and one appeared to get too close to the other.
"I kept saying 'Go lower, go lower,' but he didn't," Gotchie said. "It was like a vacuum. They just got sucked into each other, and they both exploded and pieces were flying everywhere."
He said he ran to the crash site, but "no one got out."
FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said the pilots of the five news helicopters and one police chopper over the chase were not talking to air traffic controllers at the time, which is normal.
"Typically air traffic controllers clear helicopters into an area where they can cover a chase like this," Gregor said. "Once they are in the area, the pilots themselves are responsible for keeping themselves separated from other aircraft."
Pilots generally use a dedicated radio frequency to talk to each other and maintain their positions, Gregor said.
"There is a high degree of coordination," Gregor said. "To fly for a TV station you have to have a commercial rating, which means more (flight hours), more training."
Gregor said the FAA has not had major safety problems with news chopper operations.
Keith McCutchen, a past president of the National Broadcast Pilots Association and a news pilot for 11 years in Indianapolis, said pilot awareness is vital while on the scene of a story because of the many distractions that could spell trouble.
"You are watching the scene. You have to bring your attention inside to look at the monitors to see what the audience is seeing so you can converse. But you're also having to direct your attention to the other aircraft flying around you. You have to have your head on a swivel in those kinds of situations."
Associated Press writers Chris Kahn, Pauline Arrillaga and Terry Tang contributed to this report.
Phoenix Helicopter Crash - The ACTUAL CrashJOHN ADAMS2007-07-28 | By JACQUES BILLEAUD, Associated Press Writer
PHOENIX - Federal investigators hope to determine why two news helicopters covering a police chase on live television collided and crashed to the ground, killing all four people on board.
Both helicopters from local TV stations went down in a grassy park in central Phoenix and caught fire Friday afternoon. No one on the ground was hurt.
TV viewers did not witness the accident because cameras aboard both aircraft were pointed at the ground, but they saw video from one of the helicopters break up and begin to spin before the station abruptly switched to the studio.
Killed on board the KTVK helicopter were pilot Scott Bowerbank and photographer Jim Cox, the station reported. On board the KNXV aircraft were reporter-pilot Craig Smith and photographer Rick Krolak, that station said.
A Federal Aviation Administration investigator was at the crash scene by late Friday and National Transportation Safety Board investigators were expected to arrive Saturday.
The helicopters were covering the police pursuit of a work truck. Just before the collision, the driver had jumped out of the nearly disabled flatbed pickup and carjacked another truck. The man was later taken into custody by a SWAT team after barricading himself inside a house.
Just before the picture broke up, Smith said, "Oh geez!"
Police identified the suspect as Christopher J. Jones, 23, and said he was booked into jail late Friday night on two counts of vehicle theft, four counts of aggravated assault on a police officer and one count of resisting arrest with other charges expected to be filed later.
Earlier on Friday, Phoenix Police Chief Jack Harris suggested the suspect could "be held responsible for any of the deaths from this tragedy."
The two helicopters came down on the lawn in front of a boarded-up church at the park. Firefighters swarmed to the area as thick black smoke rose from the scene.
Rick Gotchie, an air conditioning contractor, was working nearby when he noticed the helicopters overhead. He said they began circling closer as he continued watching, and one appeared to get too close to the other.
"I kept saying 'Go lower, go lower,' but he didn't," Gotchie said. "It was like a vacuum. They just got sucked into each other, and they both exploded and pieces were flying everywhere."
He said he ran to the crash site, but "no one got out."
FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said the pilots of the five news helicopters and one police chopper over the chase were not talking to air traffic controllers at the time, which is normal.
"Typically air traffic controllers clear helicopters into an area where they can cover a chase like this," Gregor said. "Once they are in the area, the pilots themselves are responsible for keeping themselves separated from other aircraft."
Pilots generally use a dedicated radio frequency to talk to each other and maintain their positions, Gregor said.
"There is a high degree of coordination," Gregor said. "To fly for a TV station you have to have a commercial rating, which means more (flight hours), more training."
Gregor said the FAA has not had major safety problems with news chopper operations.
Keith McCutchen, a past president of the National Broadcast Pilots Association and a news pilot for 11 years in Indianapolis, said pilot awareness is vital while on the scene of a story because of the many distractions that could spell trouble.
"You are watching the scene. You have to bring your attention inside to look at the monitors to see what the audience is seeing so you can converse. But you're also having to direct your attention to the other aircraft flying around you. You have to have your head on a swivel in those kinds of situations."
Associated Press writers Chris Kahn, Pauline Arrillaga and Terry Tang contributed to this report.North Korea Nuclear Attack on United States VideoJOHN ADAMS2013-02-06 | North Korea Nuclear Attack on United States VideoEulogy for 6 year old Noah S Pozner ~Newtown Sandy Hook Victim 480pJOHN ADAMS2013-01-07 | PLEASE go to noahpozner [dot] org and make a donation via PayPal. to provide Noah's siblings with counseling services, education funding, and basic needs.
Remember Sandy Hook December 14, 2012 NEVER FORGET!Gracias a Ti Himno Teletón 480pJOHN ADAMS2012-11-20 | Gracias a Ti Theme song for 2012 Mexican National Telethon. Himno Teletón, 2012Hay Razones Para Creer - Karaoke - Coca Cola Indoctrinating The Children - WhateverJOHN ADAMS2011-02-06 | Hay Razones Para Creer - Coca Cola indoctrinating Mexican children to accept imperialism. They've got brainwashing down to a science. Trivializes the wall separating Mexico and the United States, as well as U.S. military aggression in Iraq. As cynical as Coca Cola can get. Note the welcome mat with the image of a sheep on it. Apparently that's how Coca Cola prefers children to be. Video in Spanish. Song captions in English.
Coca Cola adoctrinar a los niños Mexicanos a aceptar el imperialismo. Han desarrollado el arte de los niños científicamente lavado de cerebro. Trivializa la pared que separa México y Los Estados Unidos, así como la agresión militar de EE.UU. en Irak. Tan cínico como Coca Cola puede conseguir. Nota de la alfombra de bienvenida con la imagen de una oveja en él. Al parecer, así es como la Coca Cola prefiere a los niños a ser. Video en Español. Capciones en Inglés.
Sung by Young People's Chorus - New York City.
I'M FREE TO BE WHATEVER I
WHATEVER I CHOOSE
AND I'LL SING THE BLUES IF I WANT
I'M FREE TO BE WHATEVER I
WHATEVER I LIKE
IF IT'S WRONG OR RIGHT IT'S ALRIGHT
IT ALWAYS SEEMS TO ME
YOU ONLY SEE WHAT PEOPLE WANT YUH TO SEE
HOW LONG'S IT GONNA BE
BEFORE YOU GET ON THE BUS AND CAUSE NO FUSS
GET A GRIP ON YOURSELF IT DON'T COST MUCH
YOU'RE FREE TO BE WHATEVER YOU
WHATEVER YOU SAY, IF IT COMES MY WAY IT'S ALRIGHT
HEY YOU'RE FREE TO BE WHATEVER YOU
WHATEVER YOU SAY, IF IT COMES MY WAY IT'S ALRIGHT
HEY YOU'RE FREE TO BE WHATEVER YOU
WHATEVER YOU PLEASE YOU CAN SHOOT THE BREEZE IF YOU WANT
UH UH UH UH UH UH UH
WHATEVER YOU SAY, IF IT COMES MY WAY IT'S ALRIGHTGoogle Doodle - Oct. 8, 2010 - John Lennons 70th BirthdayJOHN ADAMS2010-10-08 | Google Doodle - Oct. 8, 2010 - John Lennon's 70th BirthdayAUTOMATA - CARL ZITELMANNJOHN ADAMS2010-08-24 | Automata - A short surealistic video written, produced, and directed by Venezuelan-born Carl Zitelmann. Checkout his website at http://www.zitelmann.netCoca Cola Navidad 2009 Peru - Karaoke - Full VersionJOHN ADAMS2010-08-20 | Coca Cola Navidad 2009 Peru - Karaoke - Full Version
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Lyrics to Coca Cola Navidad
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Siempre hay una cancion
Que te puede cambiar
Siempre hay alguien para brindar
Por la felicidad
Navidad Navidad
Siempre huidos Navidad
Alegría es compartir
Es para dar
Navidad para dar
Y un deseo en Navidad
Todos juntos
Una vez mas
(Navidad Navidad dulce Navidad)Heavensong - Director Carl ZitelmannJOHN ADAMS2010-08-18 | Another gem from Venezuelan-born Directior/Filmwriter Carl Zitelmann. Checkout his website at http://www.zitelmann.net .
MPSE Golden Reels Awards - Verna Fields Award for Best Sound Editing in a Student Film; Raindance Film Festival - Best Digital Short award
The Czech Republic Oldest Gentlemen's Club Best in Brief; Best Production Design and Second Best Commercial Overall - Kodak Student Commercial Awards 2006
Voodoo Girl (Kodak Student Commercial)
Costume (Kodak Student Commercial)Comercial Coca Cola 1998 Navidad VenezuelaJOHN ADAMS2010-08-18 | Comercial Coca Cola 1998 Navidad VenezuelaCoca-Cola Commercial - Shot in Caracas VenezuelaJOHN ADAMS2010-08-14 | Coca-Cola Commercial - Shot in Caracas Venezuela.Estrellas Fugaces - El nuevo TV comercial de Coca-Cola, Navidad 2008JOHN ADAMS2010-08-13 | Estrellas Fugaces - El nuevo TV comercial de Coca-Cola, Navidad 2008. Short version.Estrellas Fugaces - El nuevo comercial de Coca-Cola, Navidad 2008 FULL VERSIONJOHN ADAMS2010-08-13 | 2008 Coca Cola Christmas commercial. Full version.COCA-COLA - Cena a Distancia - Karaoke VersionJOHN ADAMS2010-06-27 | Lyrics to Cena a Distancia
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Siempre hay una cancion
Que te puede cambiar
Siempre hay alguien para brindar
Por la felicidad
Navidad para dar
Y un deseo en Navidad
Todos juntos
Una vez mas
2009 Coca Cola Christmas commercial directed by Venezualan-born Carl Zitelmann and shot in Caracas, Venezuela. Checkout his website at http://www.zitelmann.netHoy Es La Ultima Vez (Today is The Last Time) - Director CARL ZITELMANNJOHN ADAMS2010-06-27 | A short film directed by Venezualan-born Carl Zitelmann. Checkout his website at http://www.zitelmann.net
He directed "Cena a Distancia," the 2009 Coca Cola Christmas commercial shot in Caracas, Venezuela. A true genius.Whos Gonna Build Your Wall Video by Tom RussellJOHN ADAMS2010-06-16 | Great video, sung by Tom Russell. Arizonans - take notice.Phoenix Helicopter Crash - DEATH SCREAMJOHN ADAMS2010-05-15 | Phoenix Helicopter Crash - THE SCREAM!
The scream begins just as the newscaster says "We don't know what has just happened....."