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Tag: crew member

  • Delta flight makes emergency landing after pilot says passenger tried to access cockpit

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    A Delta Air Lines flight from Houston to Atlanta made an emergency landing early Wednesday after a passenger tried to access the cockpit, the pilot told air traffic controllers.Delta flight 2557, a Boeing 717 aircraft, had just taken off from Houston’s Hobby Airport when the pilot declared an emergency. Eight-five passengers and five crew members were on board, according to Delta.“We had a passenger get up and try to access the cockpit,” the pilot can be heard in a radio recording with air traffic control captured by Broadcastify. “Can you coordinate and have security standing by?”After confirming the cockpit was secure, he requested police and paramedics meet the plane when it landed.“(He is) in cuffs in the back of the aircraft, but he did assault another passenger, so we would like that other passenger checked out,” the pilot told air traffic control.In 2025, there were 1,621 unruly passengers reported to the Federal Aviation Administration. So far, in 2026, there have been 126.Wednesday, the plane signaled an emergency using its transponder and landed back at Hobby Airport about 17 minutes after taking off. Emergency vehicles accompanied the plane to the gate.“They are coming to the gate. The police are there waiting,” an air traffic controller told emergency responders. “Follow the aircraft to the ramp.”Delta later told CNN that the passenger “approached crew and customers but did not make contact with or attempt to access the flight deck.”“The safety of our customers and crew is paramount, and Delta has zero tolerance for unruly behavior,” the airline said in a statement. “We apologize to our customers for this experience and delay in their travels.”The flight later took off again and arrived in Atlanta about 90 minutes behind schedule.The FAA is investigating the incident.

    A Delta Air Lines flight from Houston to Atlanta made an emergency landing early Wednesday after a passenger tried to access the cockpit, the pilot told air traffic controllers.

    Delta flight 2557, a Boeing 717 aircraft, had just taken off from Houston’s Hobby Airport when the pilot declared an emergency. Eight-five passengers and five crew members were on board, according to Delta.

    “We had a passenger get up and try to access the cockpit,” the pilot can be heard in a radio recording with air traffic control captured by Broadcastify. “Can you coordinate and have security standing by?”

    After confirming the cockpit was secure, he requested police and paramedics meet the plane when it landed.

    “(He is) in cuffs in the back of the aircraft, but he did assault another passenger, so we would like that other passenger checked out,” the pilot told air traffic control.

    In 2025, there were 1,621 unruly passengers reported to the Federal Aviation Administration. So far, in 2026, there have been 126.

    Wednesday, the plane signaled an emergency using its transponder and landed back at Hobby Airport about 17 minutes after taking off. Emergency vehicles accompanied the plane to the gate.

    “They are coming to the gate. The police are there waiting,” an air traffic controller told emergency responders. “Follow the aircraft to the ramp.”

    Delta later told CNN that the passenger “approached crew and customers but did not make contact with or attempt to access the flight deck.”

    “The safety of our customers and crew is paramount, and Delta has zero tolerance for unruly behavior,” the airline said in a statement. “We apologize to our customers for this experience and delay in their travels.”

    The flight later took off again and arrived in Atlanta about 90 minutes behind schedule.

    The FAA is investigating the incident.

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  • NASA is ending Crew-11 astronauts’ mission a month early

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    NASA has decided to bring the Crew-11 astronauts home a month earlier than originally planned due to a “medical concern” with one of them. This is the first time in its history that the space agency is cutting a mission short due to a medical issue, but it didn’t identify the crew member or divulge the exact situation and its severity. The agency is targeting a return date no earlier than January 14, with the exact schedule depending on the weather. If NASA’s original plan pushes through, the crew will splash down off the coast of California at approximately 3:40 AM on January 15.

    The agency previously postponed an International Space Station (ISS) spacewalk scheduled for January 8, citing a medical concern with a crew member that appeared the day before. NASA’s chief health and medical officer, James “JD” Polk, said the affected astronaut is “absolutely stable” and that this isn’t a case of an emergency evacuation. The ISS has a “robust suite of medical hardware” onboard, he said, but not enough for a complete workup to determine a diagnosis. Without a proper diagnosis, NASA doesn’t know if the astronaut’s health could be negatively affected by the environment aboard the ISS. That is why the agency is erring on the side of caution.

    Crew-11 left for the space station on August 1 and was supposed to come back to Earth on or around February 20. After they leave the station, only three people will remain: Two cosmonauts and one astronauts who’ll be in charge of all the experiments currently being conducted on the orbiting lab. The team’s replacement, Crew-12, was supposed to head to the ISS mid-February, but NASA is considering sending the astronauts to the station earlier than that.

    Update, January 10, 2025, 5:15AM ET: This story has been updated to include Crew-11’s tentative return date.

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    Mariella Moon

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  • WATCH: Motorist shows moments military plane crash lands

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    A military plane crash-landed in a southeast Oklahoma City field on Thursday, with one motorist capturing the plane on video as he was driving in the area.In the video provided by Matthew Topchian, the plane, identified as an Air Force OA-1K Skyraider II, can be seen coming down just above the tree line before partially landing on a roadway.Oklahoma National Guard officials said the crash happened near Southeast 119th Street and South Sooner Road and that two crew members were on board. One of the crew members was a civilian contractor and the other an active-duty U.S. Air Force member.Neither were injured in the incident.Officials said the plane and the crew were assigned to the 492d Special Operations Wing that operates out of Will Rogers Air National Guard Base. They were on a training mission at the time of the crash-landing.

    OKLAHOMA CITY —

    A military plane crash-landed in a southeast Oklahoma City field on Thursday, with one motorist capturing the plane on video as he was driving in the area.

    In the video provided by Matthew Topchian, the plane, identified as an Air Force OA-1K Skyraider II, can be seen coming down just above the tree line before partially landing on a roadway.

    Oklahoma National Guard officials said the crash happened near Southeast 119th Street and South Sooner Road and that two crew members were on board. One of the crew members was a civilian contractor and the other an active-duty U.S. Air Force member.

    Neither were injured in the incident.

    Officials said the plane and the crew were assigned to the 492d Special Operations Wing that operates out of Will Rogers Air National Guard Base. They were on a training mission at the time of the crash-landing.

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  • Paramedic injured in Sacramento helicopter crash released from hospital

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    The paramedic who was injured in a medical helicopter crash on Highway 50 in Sacramento earlier this month has been released from the hospital, according to the Sacramento Fire Department. (Previous coverage in the video player above.)Paramedic Margaret “DeDe” Davis was among the three crew members on board the REACH Air Medical Services helicopter when it crashed on the highway on Oct. 6. On Friday, she was transferred to a rehabilitation facility. The nurse on board the flight, Suzie Smith, died from her injuries last week. The pilot, Chad Millward, remains in the hospital on Friday. A family member told KCRA 3 on Thursday that Millward is making good progress in his recovery.The Sacramento Fire Department said it had crews on hand as Davis was released from UC Davis Medical Center. A family member of Davis told KCRA 3 on Thursday that they are grateful to the hospital staff for their help in her recovery.REACH Air Medical Services shared this statement following Davis’ release from the hospital: “We extend our heartfelt gratitude for the tremendous support shown to our team following the October 6 REACH Air Medical helicopter accident on Highway 50 in Sacramento. The compassion and concern from our community have meant so much to all those affected, and we are deeply appreciative of everyone keeping our crew and their families in their thoughts and prayers. We are encouraged to share positive news regarding our crew members: Chad Millward (pilot) and Margaret “DeDe” Davis (paramedic) continue to make meaningful progress in their recovery. Chad remains in the ICU, but his condition has stabilized. DeDe has been discharged from the hospital and has begun the next important phase of her journey to recovery. She is now in an inpatient rehabilitation program, where she’ll receive specialized care and support as she continues to heal. We deeply mourn the loss of Susan “Suzie” Smith, whose dedication and compassion touched countless lives. As we celebrate the ongoing recovery of Chad and DeDe, we honor Suzie’s memory and her significant contributions to our community.”The cause of the helicopter crash remains under investigation.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    The paramedic who was injured in a medical helicopter crash on Highway 50 in Sacramento earlier this month has been released from the hospital, according to the Sacramento Fire Department.

    (Previous coverage in the video player above.)

    Paramedic Margaret “DeDe” Davis was among the three crew members on board the REACH Air Medical Services helicopter when it crashed on the highway on Oct. 6. On Friday, she was transferred to a rehabilitation facility.

    The nurse on board the flight, Suzie Smith, died from her injuries last week.

    The pilot, Chad Millward, remains in the hospital on Friday. A family member told KCRA 3 on Thursday that Millward is making good progress in his recovery.

    The Sacramento Fire Department said it had crews on hand as Davis was released from UC Davis Medical Center. A family member of Davis told KCRA 3 on Thursday that they are grateful to the hospital staff for their help in her recovery.

    REACH Air Medical Services shared this statement following Davis’ release from the hospital: “We extend our heartfelt gratitude for the tremendous support shown to our team following the October 6 REACH Air Medical helicopter accident on Highway 50 in Sacramento. The compassion and concern from our community have meant so much to all those affected, and we are deeply appreciative of everyone keeping our crew and their families in their thoughts and prayers.

    We are encouraged to share positive news regarding our crew members: Chad Millward (pilot) and Margaret “DeDe” Davis (paramedic) continue to make meaningful progress in their recovery. Chad remains in the ICU, but his condition has stabilized. DeDe has been discharged from the hospital and has begun the next important phase of her journey to recovery. She is now in an inpatient rehabilitation program, where she’ll receive specialized care and support as she continues to heal.

    We deeply mourn the loss of Susan “Suzie” Smith, whose dedication and compassion touched countless lives. As we celebrate the ongoing recovery of Chad and DeDe, we honor Suzie’s memory and her significant contributions to our community.”

    The cause of the helicopter crash remains under investigation.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • What we know about the crew members involved in medical helicopter crash on Sacramento highway

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    Three crew members were injured when a medical helicopter crashed on Highway 50 in Sacramento on Monday night shortly after taking off from the UC Davis Medical Center.Those on board the REACH Air Medical Services H130 included a pilot, nurse and paramedic, and all three were critically injured. No patient was on board. The crash was reported just after 7 p.m. on eastbound Highway 50 just east of Stockton Boulevard. The freeway was closed for hours before crews reopened the roads around 1:20 a.m. Tuesday.Few details are known about the crew members, but friends identified the nurse on board as Suzie Smith, a Redding resident.One of Smith’s friends said the nurse would travel to Nicaragua every year to fix cleft palates and described her as the most giving person she’s ever known.”She’s just one of those exceptional people who’s out there using her, you know, her intelligence in that to help people. But just that type of person who will go over there on her own expense and help those people,” said Mary Beaver, a longtime friend of Smith.Her pastor, Travis Osborne, said Smith remains in critical condition as of Tuesday evening. Osborne told KCRA that she’s being treated for numerous injuries, including brain swelling.”We are just praying for a miracle. We know God hears our prayers, and it’s dire. You know, she’s in a dire situation,” said Osborne.Following the crash, a group of around 15 witnesses and bystanders ran to offer assistance, even lifting the helicopter up to free someone who was trapped. Some even acknowledged to KCRA 3 that they didn’t know if the crashed aircraft would explode. Smith’s friends shared gratitude for the numerous bystanders who rushed into the dangerous crash scene to help.As of Tuesday night, the pilot and paramedic on board the flight have not yet been identified, and officials have not shared any further updates on their injuries. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    Three crew members were injured when a medical helicopter crashed on Highway 50 in Sacramento on Monday night shortly after taking off from the UC Davis Medical Center.

    Those on board the REACH Air Medical Services H130 included a pilot, nurse and paramedic, and all three were critically injured. No patient was on board.

    The crash was reported just after 7 p.m. on eastbound Highway 50 just east of Stockton Boulevard. The freeway was closed for hours before crews reopened the roads around 1:20 a.m. Tuesday.

    Few details are known about the crew members, but friends identified the nurse on board as Suzie Smith, a Redding resident.

    One of Smith’s friends said the nurse would travel to Nicaragua every year to fix cleft palates and described her as the most giving person she’s ever known.

    “She’s just one of those exceptional people who’s out there using her, you know, her intelligence in that to help people. But just that type of person who will go over there on her own expense and help those people,” said Mary Beaver, a longtime friend of Smith.

    Her pastor, Travis Osborne, said Smith remains in critical condition as of Tuesday evening. Osborne told KCRA that she’s being treated for numerous injuries, including brain swelling.

    “We are just praying for a miracle. We know God hears our prayers, and it’s dire. You know, she’s in a dire situation,” said Osborne.

    Following the crash, a group of around 15 witnesses and bystanders ran to offer assistance, even lifting the helicopter up to free someone who was trapped. Some even acknowledged to KCRA 3 that they didn’t know if the crashed aircraft would explode.

    Smith’s friends shared gratitude for the numerous bystanders who rushed into the dangerous crash scene to help.

    As of Tuesday night, the pilot and paramedic on board the flight have not yet been identified, and officials have not shared any further updates on their injuries.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • Bystander recounts jumping in to help after medical helicopter crashes on Highway 50 in Sacramento

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    Bystander recounts jumping in to help after medical helicopter crashes on Highway 50 in Sacramento

    YOU’RE LOOKING AT. SO WE MENTIONED ACTS OF HEROISM TONIGHT. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS VIDEO JUST INTO OUR NEWSROOM. YOU CAN SEE THOSE BYSTANDERS WORKING TO LIFT THAT HELICOPTER OFF OF ONE OF THE VICTIMS. OUR TEAM COVERAGE CONTINUES NOW WITH KCRA 3’S CAROLINA ESTRADA. SHE’S LIVE FOR US ALONG HIGHWAY 50. IT IS REALLY SOMETHING TO SEE THERE. CATALINA. AND YOU HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH WITNESSES AND SOME OF THOSE BYSTANDERS WHO THEY JUMPED IN TO HELP, AND THEY HAD NO PROBLEM HELPING. NO. GULSTAN DART. THEY ACTUALLY TOLD US AND DESCRIBED THE MOMENTS RIGHT WHEN THEY SAW THAT HELICOPTER COMING TOWARDS THEM. THEY SAY IT WAS TERRIFYING. THEN THEY WERE IN DISBELIEF WHEN THEY SAW IT CRASH IN THE MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY 50, AND THEN THEY DIDN’T DOUBT TO JUMP IN AND HELP WHEN IT WAS NEEDED. WE’LL HEAR FROM THEM IN JUST A SECOND. BUT FIRST, I WANT TO SHOW YOU OUT HERE THE SCENE THAT WE HAVE FROM THIS VANTAGE POINT, WE HAVE SEEN THE SCENE CHANGE A LITTLE BIT, BUT THAT HELICOPTER IS STILL HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY 50. YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO SEE SOME OF THAT DEBRIS AND ALSO THAT MEDICAL EQUIPMENT THAT’S SURROUNDING IT. SO WE HAVE SEEN AT LEAST 15 INVESTIGATORS, OFFICERS TAKING PICTURES. THEY WERE SCANNING THE SCENE. WE SAW THEM JUST MOVE THE LIGHTS TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HELICOPTER. SO IT SEEMS LIKE THEY’RE FOCUSING THEIR INVESTIGATION NOW. ON THE OTHER SIDE. EARLIER TODAY THEY WERE ON THIS SIDE. WE CAN NOW SEE TRAFFIC STARTING TO FLOW. WE’VE SEEN HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICERS GUIDING THESE PEOPLE. YOU CAN SEE THEM DRIVING SLOWLY THERE ON THE SIDE OF THIS CRIME SCENE. SO THAT IS ACTUALLY BECAUSE THEY OPENED THE BARRIERS FROM THE FIX 50 PROJECT, AND THEY’RE ABLE TO LET THOSE VEHICLES THROUGH. AND YOU CAN IMAGINE THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE AT A STOP HERE WHEN THIS CRASH HAPPENED. THERE WAS ACTUALLY ANOTHER INCIDENT THAT CREATED A BACKUP. WE SPOKE TO A WITNESS WHO WAS WITH HIS WIFE WHEN THEY SAW THAT HELICOPTER COMING STRAIGHT AT THEM. TAKE A LISTEN. IT WAS VIOLENTLY SHAKING. THE HELICOPTER ITSELF. THE LANDING GEAR UNDERNEATH THE HELICOPTER ITSELF WAS SHAKING LIKE RATTLING IN THE AIR. SO I KNEW SOMETHING WAS OFF AS IT WAS APPROACHING VERY LOW, I WAS SCREAMING TO MY WIFE, I GO, THIS THING’S COMING DOWN, IT’S GOING DOWN, IT’S GOING DOWN, IT’S GOING DOWN. SURE ENOUGH, IT HIT HIGHWAY 50 AND AFTER THAT, AFTER THAT, WE SAW LOTS OF SMOKE. IT TOOK QUITE A WHILE FOR THAT ENGINE TO, LIKE, WIND DOWN OR EVENTUALLY JUST SHUT OFF. BUT IN THOSE 2 TO 3 MINUTES, IT WAS THERE WAS A LOT OF SMOKE THAT WAS ENTERING HIGHWAY 50. AND THAT PLUME OF SMOKE IS THE ONE THAT WE SAW IN PICTURES AND VIDEOS. BUT I WANT TO BRING YOU BACK OUT HERE LIVE QUICKLY, BECAUSE WE’RE JUST SEEING THAT TOW TRUCK ARRIVING HERE ON SCENE AS WE’RE LIVE. IT JUST PARKED HERE. WE IMAGINE THEY’RE ABOUT TO REMOVE THIS HELICOPTER. THERE’S A SECOND TOW TRUCK THAT I CAN SEE FROM THIS VANTAGE POINT HERE. CREWS ARE ABOUT TO GET OFF AND THEY’RE ABOUT TO START REMOVING THIS FROM THE MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY 50. THIS IS JUST HAPPENING AS WE’RE HERE LIVE. WE’RE SEEING THE OFFICERS NOW SURROUNDING IT. THEY’RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY HOW THEY’RE GOING TO DO THIS. BUT WHILE WE SEE WHAT THEY’RE GOING TO DO IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MINUTES, I WANT YOU TO TAKE A LESSON FROM THIS BYSTANDER WHO SAYS SHE WAS IN HER CAR, STOPPED HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY 50 WHEN AFTER THAT SMOKE CLEARED, THEY SAW THAT FIRST RESPONDERS NEEDED HELP GETTING SOMEONE WHO WAS PINNED IN THIS HELICOPTER OUT. JUST TAKE A LISTEN TO HER TESTIMONY. IT JUST PLUMMETED OUT OF THE SKY AND IT HIT HARD, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE IT WAS FALLING. AND THEN JUST INSTANTANEOUS BLACK SMOKE EVERYWHERE JUST ENGULFED THE WHOLE THING. AS SOON AS I SAW THAT EVERYBODY WAS MOVING, THE TRYING TO PUSH THE HELICOPTER OUT TO GET HELP, THE FIRST RESPONDERS GET TO THE, THE, THE PASSENGER, I JUST RAN OVER AND I GOT IN ONLINE IN, IN THE LINE OF PEOPLE AND WAS JUST HELP PUSHING IT AS MUCH AS I COULD. AND THEN AND THEN WE HELD IT FOR SEVERAL MINUTES SO THE FIRST RESPONDER COULD GET THE PERSON OUT. AND, YOU KNOW, SHE’S STILL TRYING TO PROCESS EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED. I ASKED HER, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND WHEN YOU SEE THAT? SHE SAID, THE ONLY THING THAT WAS GOING THROUGH MY MIND WAS TO HELP. AND YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW HEAVY THIS HELICOPTER IS, SINCE THEY HAVE AT LEAST TWO TOW TRUCKS HERE ON SCENE. AND JUST IMAGINING THAT GROUP OF 15 PEOPLE LIFTING THAT HELICOPTER JUST TO HELP SOMEONE IS REALLY JUST INCREDIBLE TO HEAR. WE NOW KNOW THAT THREE PEOPLE ARE IN CRITICAL CONDITION, AND ONE OF THOSE WAS THE ONE THAT THEY HELPED SAVE. AND JUST BACK OUT HERE LIVE, WE CAN START SEEING THOSE PLASTIC BAGS THAT ARE COMING OUT. THEY’RE GOING TO START PICKING UP ALL OF THAT DEBRIS. SOME OF IT THAT MEDICAL EQUIPMENT THAT WE CAN IMAGINE WAS ON THIS HELICOPTER. WE SAW A LOT OF PAPERS. WE CAN SEE THERE’S SOME CREWS STARTING TO PUT THEM IN THOSE WHITE TRASH BAGS HERE. IT WILL PROBABLY TAKE A WHILE FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO REMOVE ALL OF THIS. WE SEE THAT DOOR FROM THE HELICOPTER CLOSER TO WHERE WE’RE STANDING. SO REMOVAL EFFORTS OF THIS HELICOPTER ARE ABOUT TO START HERE. WE DON’T KNOW HOW LONG THAT’S GOING TO TAKE, BUT THEY ARE LETTING TRAFFIC THROUGH HERE RIGHT NOW. BUT AFTER ALL, YOU KNOW, THERE’S STILL A LOT OF QUESTIONS EDIE GULSTAN DART ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY LED UP TO THIS HELICOPTER CRASHING HERE ON SCENE. BUT WHAT WE REALLY TAKE AWAY AS WELL IS JUST THE HEROISM OF THOSE 15 PEOPLE THAT JUST DECIDED TO MISS THE CHAOS, TO GET OFF AND HELP AND, YOU KNOW, GET THAT PERSON OUT. AND THEY TELL ME THAT REALLY ALL THEY’RE HOPING FOR TONIGHT IS THAT ALL THREE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE INSIDE OF THAT HELICOPTER WHEN IT CRASHED MAKE IT. LI

    Bystander recounts jumping in to help after medical helicopter crashes on Highway 50 in Sacramento

    Updated: 11:21 PM PDT Oct 6, 2025

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    A medical helicopter crash critically injured three crew members and stopped traffic on Highway 50 in Sacramento on Monday night. Multiple witnesses watched as the helicopter came crashing down on the eastbound lanes of Highway 50 near Stockton Boulevard just after 7 p.m.”It was violently shaking,” said Chad Montgomery. Montgomery was stuck in traffic on Highway 50 with his wife when they saw the crashing helicopter getting closer.”The landing gear under the helicopter itself was just shaking, like rattling in the air,” Montgomery said. “So I knew something was off as it was approaching very low. I was screaming to my wife, I go, ‘This thing’s coming down.’”Montgomery said just after the aircraft came down, smoke immediately poured out.”It took quite a while for that engine to like, wind down or eventually just shut off. But in those two to three minutes, it was—there was a lot of smoke that was entering Highway 50,” he said. The model of the helicopter that crashed was an H130, which is designed to prevent post-crash fires by containing the fuel. Learn more about the helicopter here. Some of those who witnessed the crash also became rescuers.”It just plummeted out of the sky,” said Aimee Braddock, another witness. “It hit hard.”Braddock joined around a dozen others who rushed in to help lift the helicopter off a trapped crew member.”As soon as I saw that everybody was moving to try to push the helicopter out to help the first responders get to the passenger, I just ran over and got in the line of people and was just pushing it as much as I could,” Braddock recounted. “Then we held it for several minutes, so the first responder could get the person out.”Crews later moved construction barriers so the drivers stuck on Highway 50 after the crash could move. Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty shared a post on X thanking the first responders and civilians who jumped in to help.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

    A medical helicopter crash critically injured three crew members and stopped traffic on Highway 50 in Sacramento on Monday night.

    Multiple witnesses watched as the helicopter came crashing down on the eastbound lanes of Highway 50 near Stockton Boulevard just after 7 p.m.

    “It was violently shaking,” said Chad Montgomery.

    Montgomery was stuck in traffic on Highway 50 with his wife when they saw the crashing helicopter getting closer.

    “The landing gear under the helicopter itself was just shaking, like rattling in the air,” Montgomery said. “So I knew something was off as it was approaching very low. I was screaming to my wife, I go, ‘This thing’s coming down.’”

    Montgomery said just after the aircraft came down, smoke immediately poured out.

    “It took quite a while for that engine to like, wind down or eventually just shut off. But in those two to three minutes, it was—there was a lot of smoke that was entering Highway 50,” he said.

    The model of the helicopter that crashed was an H130, which is designed to prevent post-crash fires by containing the fuel. Learn more about the helicopter here.

    Some of those who witnessed the crash also became rescuers.

    “It just plummeted out of the sky,” said Aimee Braddock, another witness. “It hit hard.”

    Braddock joined around a dozen others who rushed in to help lift the helicopter off a trapped crew member.

    “As soon as I saw that everybody was moving to try to push the helicopter out to help the first responders get to the passenger, I just ran over and got in the line of people and was just pushing it as much as I could,” Braddock recounted. “Then we held it for several minutes, so the first responder could get the person out.”

    Crews later moved construction barriers so the drivers stuck on Highway 50 after the crash could move.

    Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty shared a post on X thanking the first responders and civilians who jumped in to help.

    This content is imported from Twitter.
    You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • United Airlines plane loses tire after takeoff at LAX, the second time in four months

    United Airlines plane loses tire after takeoff at LAX, the second time in four months

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    A United Airlines flight departing from Los Angeles lost a tire during takeoff Monday, its second Boeing aircraft to have lost a tire in four months.

    The Boeing 757-200 departed Los Angeles International Airport around 7:16 a.m. and continued to its destination at Denver International Airport even after losing the tire, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The plane landed safely around 10:10 a.m. with no reported injuries on the aircraft or on the ground, United Airlines said in a statement.

    “The wheel has been recovered in Los Angeles, and we are investigating what caused this event,” United said. The company did not say which tire on the aircraft was lost.

    The plane had 174 passengers and seven crew members on board, according to United.

    United and FAA said they would investigate what caused the tire to fall.

    This is the second incident involving a tire falling from a United aircraft mid-air in four months.

    In March, a Japan-bound United flight lost one of its main landing tires seconds after takeoff from San Francisco International Airport. The tire landed in an employee parking lot and damaged several vehicles. The Boeing 777, which carried 235 passengers and 14 crew members, made an emergency landing at LAX and was towed away with no reported injuries.

    United did not respond to an inquiry about whether the causes for the incidents were potentially the same.

    In January, a Boeing 757 operated by Delta Air Lines lost its nose wheel while preparing for takeoff at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta. Delta said a nose gear tire and rim had come loose and then rolled down a hill. Passengers had to exit the plane, but no one was injured.

    Concerns surrounding the safety of Boeing planes has been circulating for years, particularly after two crashes of its 737 Max jets killed 346 people in October 2018 and March 2019. Boeing agreed to plead guilty to a criminal fraud charge over the deadly crashes Monday, avoiding a criminal trial.

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    Ashley Ahn

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  • Jon Stewart pays tribute to dog crew member Dipper

    Jon Stewart pays tribute to dog crew member Dipper

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    Jon Stewart gave an emotional tribute to his dog Dipper on Monday night during his “moment of zen” segment on “The Daily Show.”Stewart announced that his dog, and fellow “Daily Show” crew member, Dipper, had passed away on Sunday night.”Dipper passed away yesterday,” Stewart said. “He was ready. He was tired, but I wasn’t.”Stewart then shared how his family got Dipper after his kids wanted to raise money for Animal Haven in New York City. When selling cupcakes outside, the shelter brought out a brindle pitbull who lost his leg after being hit by a car. Stewart’s family decided to adopt Dipper that day and was a member of the family for the past 12 years. Stewart also shared that Dipper would come to “The Daily Show” every day and was a member of “The Daily Show” dog crew. “We’d come to tape this show, and Dipper would wait for me to be done,” Stewart said. “He met actors and authors and presidents and kings. And he did what the Taliban could not do, which is, put a scare into Malala Yousafzai.”Stewart then showed a video of Malala Yousafzai running away when she saw Dipper in the hallway when she appeared on the show. “My wish for you is one day you find that dog, that one dog… It’s just… It’s the best,” Stewart said before dedicating his “moment of zen” to a video of Dipper.

    Jon Stewart gave an emotional tribute to his dog Dipper on Monday night during his “moment of zen” segment on “The Daily Show.”

    Stewart announced that his dog, and fellow “Daily Show” crew member, Dipper, had passed away on Sunday night.

    “Dipper passed away yesterday,” Stewart said. “He was ready. He was tired, but I wasn’t.”

    Stewart then shared how his family got Dipper after his kids wanted to raise money for Animal Haven in New York City. When selling cupcakes outside, the shelter brought out a brindle pitbull who lost his leg after being hit by a car.

    Stewart’s family decided to adopt Dipper that day and was a member of the family for the past 12 years.

    Stewart also shared that Dipper would come to “The Daily Show” every day and was a member of “The Daily Show” dog crew.

    “We’d come to tape this show, and Dipper would wait for me to be done,” Stewart said. “He met actors and authors and presidents and kings. And he did what the Taliban could not do, which is, put a scare into Malala Yousafzai.”

    Stewart then showed a video of Malala Yousafzai running away when she saw Dipper in the hallway when she appeared on the show.

    “My wish for you is one day you find that dog, that one dog… It’s just… It’s the best,” Stewart said before dedicating his “moment of zen” to a video of Dipper.

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  • California-bound plane makes emergency landing after losing window midair

    California-bound plane makes emergency landing after losing window midair

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    An Alaska Airlines flight bound for Southern California was forced to turn around and make an emergency landing after a hole opened in the side of the plane shortly after taking off Friday night.

    Flight 1282 left Portland International Airport in Oregon around 5 p.m. headed toward Ontario, with 171 passengers and six crew members on board, according to the airline.

    While the plane was gaining altitude, a window and part of the plane’s wall blew out, according to social media reports. Alaska Airlines described the event as “an incident” and said the plane turned around and safely landed back in Portland.

    “The safety of our guests and employees is always our primary priority, so while this type of occurrence is rare, our flight crew was trained and prepared to safely manage the situation,” Alaska Airlines said in a statement Friday night. “We are investigating what happened and will share more information as it becomes available.”

    FlightAware, a public airplane tracker, listed the total flight length as 35 minutes.

    A video posted to TikTok by a passenger on the flight showed a panel on the left side of plane missing, with insulation foam visible. Oxygen masks were deployed from the ceiling.

    The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident.

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    Jeremy Childs

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  • Captain found guilty of negligence in boat fire that killed 34

    Captain found guilty of negligence in boat fire that killed 34

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    After a day of deliberations, a federal court jury in Los Angeles on Monday found former Conception dive boat captain Jerry Boylan guilty of gross negligence in the deaths of 34 people in the fiery maritime disaster.

    The ship caught fire in the early morning hours of Sept. 2, 2019, while it was anchored off Santa Cruz Island, trapping 33 passengers and one crew member in the bunk room.

    Prosecutors said Boylan, who had been a captain for 34 years, was negligent in failing to appoint a night watch or to drill his crew in fire safety. When the fire broke out — possibly originating in a trash can — chaos ensued among Boylan’s inexperienced, ill-trained crew. In the bedlam, a crew member twice ran right by a 50-foot fire hose.

    Boylan, then 66, woke up amid the smoke and flames, called in a mayday and jumped overboard, actions that prosecutors said amounted to abandoning his ship. The 34 people crowded in the windowless bunk room lived for minutes after he did so, but they had no exit — the stairs and the escape hatch were blocked by flames.

    Boylan’s attorneys with the federal public defender’s office argued that there was little he could do by the time he woke up to “an unstoppable inferno,” and that the fire hoses were unusable because they were ablaze.

    Defense attorneys said Boylan learned how to run a boat from Glen Fritzler, the owner of the Conception and the company Truth Aquatics, whose boats did not use an overnight watch.

    Boylan, who had been with the company for decades, did not know that doing things “the Fritzler way” was endangering people, the defense attorneys argued.

    Federal prosecutors derided the argument as the “blaming your boss” defense, and said he had “rolled the dice” with his passengers’ lives.

    The courtroom was packed throughout the two-week trial by families of the fire victims, who have followed the case closely during the four years it took to reach trial.

    After the verdict, the families wept and embraced in the hallway, saying “we did it” and “we got it.”

    “We’ve waited four years for the guilty verdict, and it’s just a feeling like we can move forward a little with our lives,” said Susana Rosas, 65, who lost three daughters and her ex-husband in the fire.

    Rosas sat in the 9th floor courtroom in downtown Los Angeles for every day of the trial, at times listening to graphic testimony about the effort to recover the bodies from the charred wreck of the Conception, 56 feet below the surface.

    She learned that one of her daughters, Evan Quitasol, a 37-year-old nurse, was found huddled tightly with two other victims, Charles McIlvain, 44, and Alexandra “Allie” Kurtz, 26.

    “As hard as it was, it was comforting to know she died embracing someone else,” she said. “They weren’t alone. No one there was alone.”

    Boylan, who did not testify, will remain free until U.S. District Judge George Wu sentences him on Feb. 8. He could face up to 10 years in federal prison.

    Even the maximum sentence feels lenient for Boylan’s crime, Rosas said, adding that it seems “such a short amount of time for him to serve, for 34 people.” Boylan had ignored the Certificate of Inspection hanging in his own wheelhouse, which spelled out the need for an overnight watch in capital letters.

    “He didn’t follow policies and protocols. Other captains in the area weren’t either. They thought it was OK to do that,” Rosas said. “We were the unlucky ones.”

    As a result of the tragedy, the Coast Guard has tightened regulations, and more boats are implementing overnight watches. But “it’s too late for our families,” Rosas said.

    Jurors deliberated all day while the victims’ families waited in the hallway, and a verdict finally came at 4:30 p.m.

    “I was so worried because it went on so long today,” said McIlvain’s mother, Kathleen. “I couldn’t imagine how any jury wouldn’t know he was guilty.”

    She said Boylan had failed the people who had entrusted him with their lives. “He didn’t do his duty as a captain,” she said. “He abandoned ship. He abandoned them, and we never did.”

    She and other families are already trying to write their victim-impact statements, which they will deliver to the judge at Boylan’s sentencing next year. She said she doesn’t know how she will do it.

    “They died such horrific deaths,” McIlvain said. “We couldn’t even see them. We didn’t want that to be the last memory of Charlie.”

    Among the items recovered from the wreck was an iPhone with a 24-second video, recorded by one of the passengers in her final minutes as flames encroached on the bunk room. Prosecutors played it during the trial, but the FBI had allowed family members to see it long before.

    On the video, McIlvain could hear her son exclaiming, “There’s got to be a way out!” and “There’s got to be more extinguishers!”

    “The last voice I have of him is on the video in the bunk room, and he wasn’t giving up,” she said.

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    Christopher Goffard

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