Helicopter in Deadly Oklahoma Crash Hit Light Pole

A preliminary report into the cause of a deadly helicopter crash in Talihina, Okla., says it started when a rotor blade hit a light pole.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash of an EagleMed helicopter as it was taking off from Choctaw Indian Hospital on June 11. Authorities say the passenger was killed, the flight nurse was seriously hurt and the pilot and flight paramedic suffered minor injuries in the crash.

Fort Smith television station KHBS reports that shortly after takeoff, the left side of the rotor blade disk hit a 41-foot-tall metal light pole on the side of a road near the hospital. A small fire started on the helicopter as the pilot lost control. The helicopter eventually crashed to the ground.