Helicopter crashes in El Segundo, setting building ablaze [Updated]
A helicopter crashed Sunday morning at a Raytheon plant in El Segundo, injuring the pilot and setting a building ablaze, according to the El Segundo Fire Department.
The accident occurred as a helicopter was lifting a large air-conditioning unit off the roof of a building at the defense contractor’s plant at 2000 E. El Segundo Blvd. at about 9:30 a.m., said Battalion Chief Richard Guyer. The pilot lost control, and the helicopter plunged into a patio and tunnel area, setting the first and second floors of the E-1 building on fire.
[Updated at 3:40 p.m.: This post was changed to correct the spelling of Guyer's name.]
About 70 firefighters put out the blaze in 35 to 40 minutes, Guyer said.
The pilot survived and was taken to a trauma center, Guyer said. His condition is unknown.
[Updated at 12:29 p.m.: The pilot was seriously hurt and the helicopter was engulfed in flames and destroyed, according to FAA spokesman Mike Fergus.]
[Updated at 3:40 p.m.: The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are on scene investigating the cause of the crash.]
-- Seema Mehta and Andrew Blankstein
EDITOR'S PICKS:
Good thing they weren't defending anything...
Posted by: Joseph Furtenbacher | March 13, 2011 at 02:45 PM
Too bad about the pilot, but if Raytheon burned, it would be karma.
Posted by: Major Variola (ret) | March 13, 2011 at 03:22 PM
Opps, that will cost ya... hope the pilot is OK.
Posted by: JC | March 13, 2011 at 03:24 PM
Will this accident force Raytheon to move jobs back to OC they just eliminated? Probably not, but one can dream.
Posted by: mansterEZ1 | March 13, 2011 at 03:59 PM
Strange comment by a former major who Raytheon probably made things for his branch of the military.
And, OC things didn't move to the El Segundo site.
Posted by: Allen Binder | March 13, 2011 at 04:40 PM
I am glad the pilot is okay. Perhaps, next time, Raytheon should hire a "Heavy Load Tow-truck" to transport their heavy products. No need to put lives at risk when there are other alternatives to do a safe job.
Posted by: Liz | March 13, 2011 at 05:37 PM
Was it a Sakorsky?.. I've been in E-1 many times.. Back in the Hughes Aircraft days.. Now it's " Gaytheon" I guess.. El Segundo.. What a great city.
Posted by: Scott | March 13, 2011 at 05:41 PM
Bldg E1 - wow, I used to work there.
Posted by: Mike | March 13, 2011 at 07:47 PM
I live in Manhattan beach and just found out...wow...I worked at Hughes for six years too...
Posted by: los angeles foreclosure lawyer | March 13, 2011 at 09:10 PM
Raytheon, Rockwell, Northrop, Hughes Aircraft did not moved out from the state, they were force out by calif politicians
Posted by: Ian White | March 14, 2011 at 12:34 AM