UPDATE: From CBS Boston, WBZ:

“The helicopter was used in Boston for 10 years before it was flown to Detroit, the day after Thanksgiving, where it was supposed to be used as backup.”

A Seattle news helicopter crashed near the city’s Space Needle Tuesday, incurring two casualties and bursting the surrounding crash site into flames. In an odd twist to the tragic news, the copter seems to have its roots here in Boston.

According to Reuters, the chopper was part of local television station KOMO’s fleet. The station is an ABC affiliate.

Both WBZ and WFXT in Boston have confirmed that the same helicopter was once used by both of them, though it’s unclear at this time when exactly that was.

CNN reports that it was also used by CNN affiliates KOMO and KING, according to KING’s website.

According to the Seattle Times, the helicopter was taking off around 7:40 a.m. PDT when it “dropped to the ground, landing on the car that burst into flames on Broad Street. A second car and a pickup were on fire when firefighters arrived.” The National Transportation Safety Board and local police and fire departments arrived on the scene shortly thereafter.

Further, notes the Times, the chopper was owned Helicopters Inc., a St. Louis-based company.

Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the crash, said Seattle police spokeswoman Detective Renee Witt to Reuters, who added that her agency would not probe the crash.

KOMO-TV identified one of those killed as Bill Strothman, 62, of Bothell, a longtime station photographer who worked as a contractor for KOMO. The station identified the pilot as Gary Pfitzner, 59, of Issaquah, also a contractor, noted the Times.

This is a developing story. Stay tuned to BostInno for more details about the helicopter’s connections to Boston as we’ll be sure to update you as soon as more information becomes publicly available.

[image via NBC News]

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