Two dead after flying school helicopter crashes in Florida
A flight instructor and his student died after a training helicopter crashed into an empty warehouse in Boynton Beach
Two people died after a training helicopter crashed into a warehouse in Boynton Beach, Florida, in an accident on March 23.
The aircraft had taken off from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport before noon and crashed around 12:30 p.m., according to authorities.
Victims were instructor and student
The victims were identified Tuesday afternoon as flight instructor Alejandro Carrasco, 28, and student Bryan Menna, 52, according to WPBF.
Carrasco was from West Palm Beach and Menna was originally from Michigan, CBS reported.
The Federal Aviation Administration reported that the causes of the accident are still under investigation.
The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation to determine what caused the helicopter to crash.
Impact on empty warehouse prevented more casualties
The helicopter crashed into the roof of a warehouse valued at millions of dollars, which was empty at the time of the accident.
Authorities indicated that the structure suffered significant damage, although no injuries on the ground were reported.
The crash triggered a large mobilization of Emergency crews, including firefighters, police, and hazardous materials units, responded to a fuel leak. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft flying at low altitude shortly before the impact. The aircraft was used for training. The helicopter, a Robinson R44, belongs to Palm Beach Helicopters and was commonly used for flight instruction. Authorities are continuing to investigate the flight path and intended destination at the time of the accident.