Firefighting Helicopter Crashes Near Leesburg Airport, FAA Says
A firefighting helicopter with four people on board crashed during a training exercise Tuesday afternoon in Leesburg, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
It happened around 4 p.m.
Leesburg police Lt. Joe Iozzi said the helicopter crashed in a marshy and heavily wooded area near the Leesburg airport. As of 8 p.m. rescue crews were still trying to get to the wreckage to see if there were any survivors, he said. The aircraft, a Black Hawk helicopter, appeared to break apart, Iozzi said.
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.
Leesburg Fire Rescue posted a photo from the airport showing smoke billowing over the tree line.
No other details were immediately available.
©2021 Orlando Sentinel. Visit orlandosentinel.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.