Neighbors Witnessed Helicopter Go Down In Erie
ERIE, Colo. (CBS4) - Witnesses are telling investigators exactly what they saw and heard before a helicopter crashed just shy of the airport in Erie, killing both people on board.
The crash happened around noon on Monday at the Erie Municipal Airport. Neighbors said they heard two large explosions and then what sounded like catastrophic engine failure. "I heard two loud explosions," described neighbor Kent Davis.
Shortly after noon on Monday, Kent Davis and his daughter were at their home overlooking the airport's runway. When she heard the explosions, Kassandra Davis looked up and saw the copter go down, "I thought it was going to come down on our house."
"I didn't know where it was going to land and I looked back and I just saw it come down on the ground and explode, and I knew right away there wasn't going to be any survivors," said Kassandra.
The blades and rotor were blown off and the debris was scattered for 500 feet. Kassandra's father saw flames shoot 60 feet in the air. He shot home video as he ran to the scene.
"I ran in my garage, got my fire extinguisher and ran out to the scene, tried to put the fire out. The fire was too intense. The fire was…way too hot," he described.
Kent reached the scene and saw two bodies inside the copter. His neighbor Don Huntress arrived seconds later, "We could tell that, by what we saw, nobody could do anything for anybody in the aircraft."
Authorities are not saying where the copter came from or what may have caused the accident, but will determine whether or not it had mechanical problems. No information has been released about the victims.
As investigators surveyed the charred remains of the scene, Kent Davis spoke for his entire community: "Just praying for the people and their families."
