Michigan
Video shows chopper flip upon landing at Michigan lounge
Helicopter crash-lands outside of Michigan restaurant
A helicopter with four passengers onboard crashed while attempting to land in Clay Township, Michigan.
Patrons flying in to dine at a waterside restaurant along Lake St. Clair in Michigan’s Thumb ended up with a rough landing recently when their helicopter suddenly flipped.
The incident happened at about 1 p.m. on Sunday, June 22, at the Cabana Blue Lakefront Sports Bar & Grill in Clay Township near Algonac.
A video taken by restaurant owner Joseth Henninger shows the helicopter haphazardly touching down on a vacant lot next to outside Cabana Blue Lakefront Sports Bar & Grill.
“They had called in ahead of time, and our hostess had said we got a lot of debris in the field out there,” Henninger said. “(The pilot) said, ‘That’s alright, if it’s not good he won’t land.’ And he came in and looked like he found a spot he liked.”
When the helicopter crashed into the dirt, he said, the sound reverberated like a gunshot.
Among dust and debris, people can be heard shouting, “Get down!” and onlookers gasp in shock.
According to Clay Township police, there were four passengers aboard and only minor injuries.
The crash is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration.
(This story was updated to change a video.)