Distant view and stressed reaction of third uninvolved pilot Don Hooper from Fox 10 who witnessed the crash of two news helicopters.
Two news helicopters from Channel 3 (KTVK) and Channel 15 (KNXV) collided while covering a police chase at 12:46 p.m. Friday, July 27, 2007. The news helicopters hit the ground and burned at the Steele Indian School Park at Indian School Road and Central Avenue [MAP/SAT]. Four men were killed in he crash — ABC 15 pilot Craig Smith and cameraman Rick Krolak, and Channel 3 pilot Scott Bowerbank and cameraman Jim Cox.
Fox station KSAZ-TV pilot Don Hooper, hyperventilating between words, reported: “Just had a mid-air collision over here at the … park. Two helicopters down! … Oh my God! … It’s channel … 3. Channel 3 … and I don’t know who the … channel 3 and … I don’t know who else … Looks like channel 3, and I don’t know the other helicopter … possibly channel 15. … Oh my God … oh man.”
Video from one of the periled helicopters — ABC 15 — as the crash occurred.