Phoenix Helicopter Crash Video: Four Killed in Mid-Air Collision

The Phoenix helicopter crash that killed four people was caught on video as two news choppers collided while filming a car chase in central Phoenix.  At 12:47 p.m., the sound of metal hitting metal was heard over the air at Channel 15 (KNXV), and the live signal from the helicopter went to static.  "Oh, jeez," can be heard through the feed and then Channel 15 cuts away.

Phoenix Helicopter Crash Video: Four Killed in Mid-Air Collision

That TV station's helicopter collided in mid-air with Channel 3's helicopter.  All of the Phoenix television station's were covering the car chase and Channel 12 cut to the two fallen helicopters just moments after the crash and that video is now online as well.

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According to a report from CBS, the crash was witnessed by the news helicopter of Fox station KSAZ-TV, which also provided coverage immediately following the incident.  The pilot from the KSAZ chopper couldn't believe his eyes, and was heard emotionally shouting immediately afterward: "Holy crap! Oh my God, oh God, oh my gosh! Channel 15 and channel 3 just had a mid-air collision. They're in the park, oh man!"

Later, the pilot, clearly extremely shaken up by the collision, while hyperventilating deeply between words added in the chilling reaction: "Just had a mid-air collision over here at the ... park. Two helicopters down! ... Oh my God! ... It's channel ... 3. Channel 3 ... and I don't know who the ... channel 3 and ... I don't know who else ... Looks like channel 3, and I don't know the other helicopter ... possibly channel 15. ... Oh my God ... oh man."

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Channel 15 pilot Craig Smith and photographer Rick Krolak died, as did the pilot from Channel 3 (KTVK), Scott Bowerbank, and photographer Jim Cox.

The video is graphic.  The mid-air collision is here and the downed chopper video is here.