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Chatsworth helicopter crash: Chopper that crashed during road mishap coverage belonged to NBC, confirms anchor

NBC's Colleen Williams confirms it was NewsChopper 4 that crashed in LA, killed 3

Chatsworth helicopter crash: Chopper that crashed during road mishap coverage belonged to NBC, confirms anchor

On September 15, a news helicopter operated by NBC crashed while covering a bus collision in Los Angeles, resulting in the deaths of three individuals. This incident evoked memories of Francis Gary Powers, a pilot who died in a helicopter crash during a news assignment in 1977. Powers, an American Air Force officer and CIA employee, gained notoriety for his role in the 1960 U-2 incident where he was shot down while conducting a secret CIA spy mission over the Soviet Union.

Despite surviving the initial crash, he was captured and imprisoned in the Soviet Union for espionage, serving 21 months before being released in a prisoner exchange in 1962. Following his release, Powers continued his career in aviation, working as a test pilot for Lockheed and later as a helicopter pilot for the Los Angeles news station KNBC.

He tragically lost his life on August 1, 1977, when the KNBC helicopter he was piloting crashed due to fuel exhaustion during a flight over the San Fernando Valley.

Written by urgent.news from Hindustan Times - World News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.

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