A helicopter crashed near Huntington Beach in southern California on Saturday, injuring five people, according to the Associated Press (AP). Videos shared on social media showed the helicopter spinning out of control before hitting a row of palm trees close to the beach and a staircase near Pacific Coast Highway. 🇺🇸 CALIFORNIA CHOPPER GOES DOWN - TREES BREAK THE FALLA helicopter crashed into trees in Huntington Beach after what appears to be a tail rotor failure.No confirmed injuries yet, and ironically, the trees may have saved lives by softening the impact.Rough landing, but it… pic.twitter.com/eyK1uzHYiW— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) October 11, 2025 The Huntington Beach Fire Department said that five people were taken to the hospital. Two of them were in the helicopter and were “safely pulled from the wreckage,” the department said in a statement quoted by AP. Three people on the street were also injured, but details about their condition were not immediately available. The fire department said the helicopter was linked to the annual “Cars ’N Copters” fundraising event scheduled for Sunday. Officials have not yet released the cause of the crash.
