A horrifying video showing a helicopter crash along the coastal area of the U.S. state of California has gone viral on social media, while thousands of people were present at the scene. As a result of the crash, five people, including one child, were injured.
According to details, terrifying scenes were witnessed yesterday when a helicopter crashed in a California area — one man narrowly escaped being crushed under the aircraft. The incident occurred near the “Cars and Copters on the Coast” event, taking place at a peaceful beach attended by thousands of spectators. At least five people were injured, including two onboard the helicopter and three on the ground, one of whom was a child.
NEW: Man nearly gets crushed by a helicopter that crashed in Huntington Beach, California.
“I was literally underneath the helicopter as it crashed. My life flashed before my eyes,” the man posted.
The helicopter crashed next to the Pacific Coast Highway near the bridge… pic.twitter.com/6d58umdRJA
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 11, 2025
Social media users reported that the crash happened at approximately 2:09 p.m. local time, when the helicopter fell onto the stairs of a pedestrian bridge near Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and Huntington Street. The bridge connects the beach to the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort and Spa across the highway. Video footage shows the helicopter spinning in the air before crashing down, striking palm trees and the bridge stairs, scattering debris across the highway.
Emergency services responded immediately and declared it a “mass casualty incident.” According to Battalion Chief Matt Kobuta of the Huntington Beach Fire Department, fire crews reached the scene and separated the helicopter from the bridge. The highway was closed for several hours, and people were advised to stay away from the area.
The injured were transported to nearby hospitals, though detailed information about their conditions has not been released. Initial reports indicate that the injured included the helicopter pilot and a passenger, while three people on the ground were hurt.
One witness, who shared his video on social media, described the terrifying moments: “I was literally under the helicopter when it fell. My life flashed before my eyes.” The video shows the helicopter spinning rapidly and crashing dangerously close to the man standing on the pedestrian bridge, who narrowly escaped and ran away immediately. The footage went viral on social media and has been viewed by millions.
Another witness, Jackson Echert, a resident of Rancho Cucamonga, who was attending the event, said he was about 100 feet away on the bridge when the crash occurred. He said, “It happened so suddenly — the helicopter lost control and came straight down onto the bridge.”
