Watch CBS News

No Injuries After Chopper Makes Hard Landing On Granada Hills Golf Course

GRANADA  HILLS (CBSLA) – No one was hurt after a small helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing on a golf course in Granada Hills.

No Injuries After Chopper Makes Hard Landing On Woodland Hills Golf Course
A helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing on the Knollwood Golf Course in Woodland Hills, Calif. Sept. 15, 2018. (Los Angeles Fire Department)

The pilot and the passenger both walked away unscathed.

At around 12:30 p.m., the civilian chopper landed on the fifth hole of the Knollwood Country Club and Golf Course, located at 12040 Balboa Blvd., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

There was no fire and.

The occupants were able to get out of the helicopter on their own prior to the arrival of firefighters, LAFD reports.

The FAA did not immediately respond to a request for information.

Witnesses told CBS2's Greg Mills the chopper made a hard landing. Evidence of the hard landing? Several pieces of the chopper strewn about near the main cabin.

Richard Pak and Roger Ames were golfing when they saw the craft come down at the fifh hole.

"We drove through the tunnel and all of a sudden, we see a helicopter with a missing tail rotor," says Pak.

"I think the student [passenger] was very grateful to be okay. He applauded the pilot and said he kept his cool and got them down safely," said witness Carole Kunkel.

Her husband said the pilot told her he developed engine trouble over Balboa -- he knew the area and was about to aim for the golf course.

A lot of homes dot the course and the crash was witnessed by people in their backyards.

"Our gardener was actually out here at the time and he narrowly missed some shrapnel," said Ara Donovan, "There's some shrapnel in our backyard."

 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.