Groups | Search | Server Info | Login | Register

Groups > rec.aviation.piloting > #19044

Helicopter pilot who crashed in Huntington Beach was known for dramatic maneuvers

Cross-posted to 6 groups.

Show all headers | View raw

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-10-11/five-hospitalized-
after-helicopter-crash-in-huntington-beach

The pilot who crashed a helicopter in Huntington Beach near a waterfront 
hotel on Saturday, injuring five people including himself, was known for 
leaning into thrills during some of his flights, according to a review of 
his social media.

Videos shared on pilot Eric Nixon’s Instagram page showed several low-
altitude maneuvers, including some that appear to come very close to 
vehicles and buildings. In one that appeared to promote Saturday’s 
helicopter landing party for the Cars ’n Copters on the Coast event in the 
Orange County city, one of Nixon’s choppers swooped in close to the 
rooftop lounge at Hilton’s Waterfront Beach Resort — near where he later 
crashed.

Five people were injured when Nixon’s Bell helicopter — the type made 
popular by the 1980s television drama “Airwolf” — crashed in Huntington 
Beach Saturday afternoon as the city readied for the car and helicopter 
show.

Frightening videos captured the crash, showing the helicopter spinning out 
of control before crashing onto palm trees and the stairwell of a 
pedestrian bridge connecting a beach parking lot on Pacific Coast Highway 
to the Hyatt Regency resort.

Some videos appeared to show the helicopter’s tail rotor fly off moments 
before the crash in front of hundreds of spectators. People can be heard 
in the video screaming and are seen scrambling to evade debris.

Two people were pulled from the aircraft, and three people, including a 
child, were injured on the ground, police said.

The helicopter was being piloted by owner Nixon, who was bringing the 1980 
Bell 222 to appear in the annual Cars ’n Copters show Sunday featuring 
exotic cars along with aircraft from private owners, law enforcement and 
the military. Helicopters flew in Saturday for a “landing party” event.

Despite the crash, the show went on Sunday, appearing to draw hundreds to 
the flashy car and helicopter event. Organizers posted online that they 
were “sending our prayers out to all involved in the unfortunate 
incident.”

Nixon’s father-in-law, Jerry Miller, told the Orange County Register on 
Saturday night that Nixon was “in the hospital with some broken ribs, 
crushed vertebrae and several bruises.”

In addition to Nixon and another person in the helicopter with him, a 
child and two adults were injured on the ground. All five were 
hospitalized, but no official information was released about their 
injuries as of early Sunday afternoon.

Nixon’s Instagram account said he and his passenger were safe after the 
crash.

A GoFundMe account, which could not be independently verified, identified 
the youngest victim and said the boy was in a hospital with a collapsed 
lung and brain bleed.

In images obtained by KTLA, bystanders can be seen pulling a child from 
beneath the wreckage and whisking the boy away. The crash was “like 
something in a nightmare,” witness Kurt Johnston told KTLA.

One pilot told NBC 4 that Nixon made a quick decision on Saturday.

“He chose to sacrifice the helicopter and put it on top of the palm trees, 
therefore avoiding cars and people that were there,” Esteban Jimenez said.

Nixon’s Bell 222 departed from Redlands Municipal Airport, according to 
the Flight Safety Foundation.

A cosmetically modified Bell 222 was the centerpiece of “Airwolf,” which 
revolved around a high-technology attack helicopter, code-named Airwolf, 
and its crew.

The crash has been reported to the Federal Aviation Administration and the 
National Transportation Safety Board, police said.


-- 
November 5, 2024 - Congratulations President Donald Trump.  We look 
forward to America being great again.

We live in a time where intelligent people are being silenced so that 
stupid people won't be offended.

Every day is an IQ test. Some pass, some, not so much.

Thank you for cleaning up the disasters of the 2008-2017, 2020-2024 Obama 
/ Biden / Harris fiascos, President Trump.

Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the 
The World According To Garp.  Obama sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood 
queer liberal democrat donors.

Back to rec.aviation.piloting | Previous | Next | Find similar

Thread

Helicopter pilot who crashed in Huntington Beach was known for dramatic maneuvers "Leroy N. Soetoro" <leroysoetoro@americans-first.com> - 2025-10-15 20:34 +0000

csiph-web