Pilots escape after helicopter crashes, catches fire in Oklahoma

>> BREAKING DEVELOPMENT JUST IN AFTER A FIERY HELICOPTER CRASH IN OKLAHOMA CITY. JESSICA: THIS IS HAPPENING AT CLARENCE HE PAGE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT JUST WEST OF YUKON, AND IS WHERE WE FIND SKY 5. ERIN WAS FIRST ON SCENE AND LEADS OUR TEAM COVERAGE. WHAT HAPPENED? ERIN: WHEN WE GOT TO THE SCENE, WE TALKED TO FIRE OFFICIALS, AND THEY DO NOT HAVE ALL THE DETAILS JUST YET. THEY TELL US TWO PILOTS WERE IN A HELICOPTER WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. IT WAS ACTUALLY ON FIRE WHILE FLYING IN THE SKY. THEY EITHER CRASHED OR HAD A CONTROLLED LANDING. INVESTIGATORS DO NOT KNOW HOW THEY GOT TO THE GROUND JUST YET. THEY WERE ABLE TO EXIT THE HELICOPTER WHILE IT WAS ON FIRE. THEY HAVE NON-LIFE-THREATENING INJURIES AND ARE DOING OK. FIREFIGHTERS TELL US WHEN THEY GOT TO THE SCENE, THE HELICOPTER WAS SO SEVERELY BURNED, JUST THE FRAME WAS LEFT. >> THERE APPEARED TO BE NO LIFE-THREATENING INJURIES. THEY DID INDICATE THE HELICOPTER WAS ON FIRE BEFORE IT EVEN HIT THE GROUND. ERIN: AGAIN, THOSE PILOTS ARE TAKEN TO NEARBY HOSPITALS JUST TO CHECK FOR ANY INTERNAL DAMAGE OR INTERNAL INJURIES, BUT FIRE OFFICIALS TELL US THEY WERE WALKING AND TALKING AND SEEMED OK. I’M GOING TO TOSS THINGS UP TO SKY 5 WITH CHASE. I KNOW YOU’RE GETTING A BETTER VISUAL THAN I AM ON THE GROUND. YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE WRECKAGE FROM THE HELICOPTER ITSELF. WHAT ARE YOU SEEING? CHASE: THAT’S RIGHT. IS IT’S A MIRACLE THESE PILOTS WERE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE HELICOPTER WITHOUT SERIOUS INJURIES. YOU MENTIONED THE HELICOPTER WAS ON FIRE. THAT MIGHT BE AN INDICATION OF IF THE HELICOPTER WAS ON FIRE, THAT COCKPIT COULD HAVE FILLED UP WITH SMOKE. THAT IS SOMETHING COMMON WHEN YOU HAVE AN AIRCRAFT FIRE IN FLIGHT, SO THE VISIBILITY MAY HAVE REALLY BEEN IMPAIRED WHEN THEY TRIED TO PUT THIS HELICOPTER ON THE GROUND, SO IT REALLY SAYS A LOT ABOUT THE TRAINING OF THE PILOTS, BEING ABLE TO GET THE HELICOPTER ON THE GROUND. THEY WERE ABLE TO GET AWAY WITHOUT SERIOUS INJURIES, AND THAT IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD NEWS. AGAIN, IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH WHERE THIS IS, THIS IS IN BETWEEN UCONN AND EL RENO, SOUTH OF I-40 ON THE FAR WEST SIDE OF THE AIRPORT. WE SEE COMPLETE DESTRUCTION OF THIS HELICOPTER. WE WILL BE GETTING MORE INFORMATION FOR YOU AS THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING GOES ON. IF YOU WANT MORE, WE ARE LIVE ON FACEBOOK, SO YOU CAN GET ON OUR KOCO PAGE ON FACEBOOK AND LISTEN.

VIDEO: Pilots escape after helicopter crashes, catches fire in Oklahoma

Updated: 7:06 PM EDT May 13, 2021

Two pilots are OK after a helicopter crashed and caught fire Wednesday afternoon in Oklahoma.Oklahoma City Fire Department officials said by the time crews got to the scene, the helicopter was almost burnt down entirely to the frame.Both pilots got out OK and are fine. Fire officials said they hardly have any injuries.It’s unclear if the pilots jumped out before the helicopter crashed or if they had a controlled landing and then got out, but officials said they believe they got out after they landed.Authorities later confirmed that the helicopter was a U.S. Customs and Border Protection training helicopter, and the people inside were an instructor and a student.

Two pilots are OK after a helicopter crashed and caught fire Wednesday afternoon in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma City Fire Department officials said by the time crews got to the scene, the helicopter was almost burnt down entirely to the frame.

Both pilots got out OK and are fine. Fire officials said they hardly have any injuries.

It’s unclear if the pilots jumped out before the helicopter crashed or if they had a controlled landing and then got out, but officials said they believe they got out after they landed.

Authorities later confirmed that the helicopter was a U.S. Customs and Border Protection training helicopter, and the people inside were an instructor and a student.