This is ANOTHER one of those days when reporting the news is no fun at all. A late afternoon mid-air collision at the Torrance, CA, airport has claimed two lives and severely injured one pilot when a two-seat R22 and a four-seat R44 tangled several hundred feet above Runway 11. As most rotorcraft midairs tend to go, the chances for survival were minimal.

The R44 impacted the runway and burned while the R22 limped a short distance away and went down in a cornfield. The pilot of the R22 was injured but surprisingly reported as a survivor. The impact looked pretty significant, but the injuries are reported to be survivable.

All aboard the R44 were lost.

The accident occurred at 1530 local time, and apparently transpired as one aircraft was departing and another landing. One eyewitness reported to local media outlets that he "heard popping and rattling, then saw the helicopters with their tails connected and bent."

An FAA source reports that both aircraft were between 100 and 200 feet in the air at the point at which they collided.

The witness, Guy Hindenberger, stated that, "We turned around and looked and saw two helicopters that had contacted in mid-air. We could see the tails on both the helicopters seemed to be bent. One went straight down to the tarmac and exploded instantly," while the other went down beyond his sight behind airport buildings.

Torrance Airport is the home of Robinson Helicopter Company and conducts numerous flights each day for testing, demonstration, instruction and general operations. One of the aircraft has been reported to have been involved in conducting business on behalf of Robinson at the time of the accident.

The identity of the pilots and the ownership of the aircraft involved have yet to be ID'ed.

Official Statement of Robinson Helicopter Company

We at Robinson are deeply saddened by our loss. Our thoughts and sympathy go out to the family members and friends of those lost in the accident and the student pilot recovering in the hospital.

It is too early to know the actual details of what lead to the accident. At this time we are cooperating fully with the NTSB and FAA, in addition to conducting our own investigation. We cannot make any speculations concerning the cause of the accident until the NTSB has completed its preliminary investigation.

FMI: www.robinsonheli.com