Helicopter pilot in Huntington Beach crash is famous for his daring maneuvers

"The pilot whose helicopter spun out of control and crashed near a Huntington Beach pedestrian bridge on a busy Saturday afternoon has been described as an aviation influencer famous for his daring maneuvers. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash, and a preliminary report will be released within 30 days, NTSB spokesman Eric Weiss said Sunday. Videos circulating online showed a potential problem with the tail rotor, which appeared to be ejected as the helicopter lost control, and some aviation experts said they suspected that a mechanical issue may have caused the crash."

"Eric Nixon was piloting the helicopter when it spiraled toward the ground, his father-in-law, Jerry Miller of Redlands, confirmed in a brief interview on Saturday night. He's in the hospital with some broken ribs, crushed vertebrae and several bruises, Miller said. Four others, a passenger in the helicopter and three people on the ground, were injured and hospitalized, according to authorities."

"Eric Nixon a self-styled aviation enthusiast known to thousands online for his heart-stopping stunts has spent years posting footage of himself performing jaw-dropping maneuvers across the skies of the American West, the Daily Mail reported late Saturday night. His Instagram account is filled with adrenaline-pumping clips of low-altitude dashes, tight turns, and desert skims the Mail wrote. In one recent post, Nixon can be seen hurtling across a desert floor barely 20 feet above ground level with a truck speeding toward him from the opposite direction."

Eric Nixon piloted a helicopter that spun out of control and crashed into a stairwell of a pedestrian bridge crossing Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach on a busy Saturday afternoon. Videos circulating online showed the tail rotor appearing to be ejected as the helicopter lost control, and some aviation experts suspected a mechanical failure. Nixon suffered broken ribs, crushed vertebrae and bruises; a passenger and three people on the ground were also hospitalized. The National Transportation Safety Board opened an investigation and plans to release a preliminary report within 30 days. Nixon is known online for low-altitude stunts and daring maneuvers.

Read at www.ocregister.com