VIDEO: Helicopter spins rapidly and crashes into trees in Utah with 4 on board

A helicopter suddenly spun and crashed into trees near Timber Lakes, Utah, on January 18, and all four aboard miraculously survived. However, one of them was left critically injured and rushed to the hospital. He was transported to a hospital for treatment of a head injury. Reports suggest that the crash happened because of Loss of Tail Rotor Effectiveness (LTE), a low-altitude failure where the tail rotor loses thrust against main rotor torque. It is said to be the primary reason for 60-70 per cent of pilot-error helicopter accidents, according to rotorcraft studies. Ground footage captured by snowmobilers shows the chopper spinning rapidly. American actor David Sparks said one of his friends, Derek, and three others were on board the helicopter. “This is my friend Derek, and I'm beyond grateful that he and the 3 other souls on board survived what was a truly terrifying accident.”

He detailed what went wrong with the chopper. “What you're seeing here appears consistent with LTE (Loss of Tail Rotor Effectiveness), when the tail rotor can't produce enough authority (thrust) to counter the torque of the main rotor, and the aircraft can enter a rapid, uncontrollable yaw/spin…” he said. Sparks added that Derek was in "a worst-case scenario, with almost no time to react." The helicopter got stuck in the trees, which apparently slowed the fall, absorbing the energy. This is believed to be the reason why the accident was not life-threatening.

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Utah crash involved a Bell 206 helicopter

The Wasatch County Sheriff’s Department responded to a 911 call at approximately 3:10 pm. The cause of the crash is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. The agency added that it was a Bell 206 helicopter. While one of the occupants was taken to the hospital, the other three were evaluated on the site. The crash was captured on camera from several angles, showing the helicopter spinning out of control. According to eyewitnesses, there were two helicopters. A smaller one landed first, while the Bell 206 circled above. It descended, hovered and lifted again, and then started spinning and crashed into the trees.