Two television station helicopters tracking a high-speed police pursuit in central Phoenix collided in midair and crashed Friday, killing everyone on both aircraft.
The helicopters collided over Steele Indian School Park while filming the pursuit for Channels 3 and 15.
KNXV-TV identified the people aboard its chopper as reporter-pilot Craig Smith and photographer Rick Krolak. KTVK said pilot-reporter Scott Bowerbank was aboard its helicopter, along with photographer Jim Cox.
Sgt. Joel Tranter of the Phoenix Police Department told CBS 5 News no one on the ground was injured or killed.
Video from the scene showed flames and thick black smoke from where both helicopters crashed.
Tranter said debris is scattered across several acres.
"Wait, wait, wait, wait," News Hawk 5 Capt. Connie Sullivan reported on air around 12:40 p.m. "We've got a problem here. I've got a helicopter down."
Air conditioning contractor Rick Gotchie told CBS 5 News he saw channel 15's helicopter flying underneath the channel 3 aircraft. He said channel 15's rotors hit the tail of the channel 3 helicopter. Gotchie said channel 15's helicopter went down nose first and channel's chopper crashed tail first.
"The choppers exploded a couple of time on the ground," Gotchie said