Two people were killed in a helicopter crash along Interstate 77 near Tyvola Road in south Charlotte Tuesday afternoon.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Two people were killed in a helicopter crash along Interstate 77 in south Charlotte Tuesday afternoon, officials confirmed. WCNC Charlotte has learned the chopper belongs to the local television station WBTV.
The crash happened around noon between Tyvola Road and Nations Ford Road along the southbound side of I-77. Medic confirmed both victims were pronounced dead at the scene. WBTV confirmed the victims were chopper pilot Chip Tayag and meteorologist Jason Myers.
WCNC Charlotte confirmed the helicopter is a 1999 Robinson R44.
All lanes on I-77 near the crash were blocked for hours while crews responded to the incident. CMPD closed multiple ramps onto I-77 near the crash, too. Two lanes reopened around 4:30 p.m., but drivers should still avoid the area. The other lanes are not expected to reopen for a few hours.
WHAT WE KNOW
A witness told WCNC Charlotte it appeared the pilot knew the helicopter was in trouble and made an aggressive move to prevent crashing directly onto I-77.
“I think that he absolutely knew that he was gonna have to put that down,” the man said. “He did his best to put it down … Whoever the pilot was, did their best to put that thing down where it wasn’t going to injure a lot of people, and in that respect, they did a fabulous job.”
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper issued the following statement Tuesday:
“This is a terrible tragedy for the WBTV family and we are praying for them and all of those in the media who work so hard to keep the public informed.”
WCNC Charlotte President and General Manager Joan Barrett released the following statement when the station learned the helicopter belonged to WBTV:
We want to extend our deepest condolences to the staff and family members of the WBTV team. Both Chip and Jason have a strong reputation in this community and many will feel their loss. We are here to assist the WBTV team in any way we can.
WCNC Charlotte has reached out to Medic and Charlotte-Mecklenburg police for more information.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate the cause of the crash.
While specifics have not yet been released, the NTSB has a standard process it typically follows in the aftermath of an aviation crash.
This story will be updated once more information is available.
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