Pasadena Police Helicopters Involved in Crash; 6 Injured

The incident occurred at the Pasadena police helipad

Six police personnel received minor injuries when two Pasadena police helicopters were involved in a crash Saturday afternoon.

A police official on scene said that one chopper had clipped another while one was landing and the other taking off.

The incident occurred at 4:10 p.m. at the Pasadena Police Department's helipad at 2175 Yucca Lane in Altadena (map), about 1 1/2 miles north of the Rose Bowl.

The collision involved a police patrol chopper and a helicopter assigned to monitor traffic leaving a football game at the Rose Bowl, where crosstown rivals UCLA and USC met at the stadium for the first time since 2010.

Five officers were being transported to a hospital with minor injuries, officials said. Police at one point said there had been six people injured; that was amended to five and then upgraded to six.

"We have five people that were transported, all with a complaint of pain," a Pasadena police spokeswoman said. "It would appear at this point that there are no major injuries to our people."

Two pilots, three observers and an officer on the ground suffered non-life threatening injuries, authorities said.

Neighbors said they heard a loud explosion after the crash.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.


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