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Doorbell cam catches shocking moment helicopter crashes into front yard of home narrowly missing house

The accident took place when the pilot and a passenger complained they heard a 'pop' sound while flying above Fresno

FRESNO, CALIFORNIA:  A doorbell security camera captured a horrific moment when a helicopter crash-landed in California. The pilot and the passenger miraculously survived the crash in the front yard of a Fresno home on Saturday morning, October 1.

According to ABC30, the accident took place when the pilot and a passenger complained they heard a “pop” sound while flying above Fresno just before 10am. The surveying helicopter, believed to be a civilian Bell 206B JetRanger, plummeted to the ground and crashed between two houses near Willow Avenue and Jensen Avenue in the city, about 120 miles southeast of San Jose while hitting the palm trees. The dramatic crash was caught on a doorbell camera and has since gone viral on Twitter, where hundreds of thousands of people have viewed the clip.

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As per the authorities, the helicopter was performing a test run before falling to the ground. The 47-year-old pilot and a 33-year-old passenger were found conscious and breathing and did not suffer major injuries as a result. While the extent of their injuries is unknown but both were rushed to a hospital at Community Regional Medical Center. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating a helicopter crash in southeast Fresno. A road closure was in place for at least 24 hours following the incident. 

Fresno Police Lt Charlie Chamalbide told The Fresno Bee that the occupants “heard a pop” and “started losing altitude.” The National Transportation Safety Board's preliminary information indicated that during the helicopter maintenance check, the helicopter lost tail rotor control. A tail rotor is the smaller blade at the rear of a helicopter and counters the torque forces created by spinning the main blades on top of the helicopter, according to ABC30. Without a working tail rotor, the helicopter's body will spin in the opposite direction of the main rotor which could lead to a crash. 

The neighbors of the locality are shaken by the incident. NTSB investigators will look at the human, machine, and environmental factors of the crash before publishing its preliminary report, within the next three weeks. An investigation is now underway with the Federal Aviation Authority and the National Transportation Safety Board joining a probe into the crash.