Desperate final moments of American Bank CEO as he tried to land his helicopter before it spiraled out of control and killed him and his passenger
- Bruce Erickson, 65, and friend Wayne Lewis, 60, died in crash Wednesday
- Video shows Erickson maneuvering chopper near ground during landing
- Helicopter rocks back and forth before it careens out of control
- It began spinning on tarmac at Carlsbad, California airport and caught fire
Video footage of a helicopter crash that killed its CEO pilot and his friend shows the terrifying moment the aircraft spun out of control as it was trying to land.
American Bank of Montana chairman Bruce Erickson, 65, and his friend Wayne Lewis, 60, were killed Wednesday afternoon when the chopper hit the ground and later exploded at McClellan-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad, California.
A YouTube clip of the incident shows the helicopter hovering above the ground before flipping into the air and landing off-screen with a loud boom.
A YouTube video shows the moments pilot Bruce Allen Erickson, 65, was practicing landing before his helicopter spun out of control at McClellan-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad, California
The helicopter suddenly loses its level bearings and is seen careening off-screen as the cameraman pulls away from the scene
Erickson had more than 25,000 hours of flight time and was able to fly different airplanes and helicopters, but was practicing landing at the time of the crash.
The helicopter is seen very close to the ground, but then rocks back and forth before pitching forward.
The YouTube cameraman pulls away from the scene as the Airbus AS350 helicopter begins to spin wildly, but the aircraft is later seen spinning in circles on the ground for almost two minutes.
It later went up in flames, and both men aboard died at the scene.
The aircraft crashes on the tarmac and began spinning around repeatedly (left) before
A few minutes after it failed to land the helicopter went up in flames, and both men aboard died
Both Erickson and Lewis, a real estate agent, lived in the area north of San Diego.
American Bank of Montana said in a statement: 'Bruce had a heart of gold with boundless energy, and his devotion toward community banking was unsurmountable.
'As a fantastic leader, he placed utmost importance on his employees and was very generous to all'.
The CEO also spent time in Montana.
Share this article
Erickson (left) and Lewis (right) were both described as flight enthusiasts who will be deeply missed by those who knew them
Previous video released from the crash shows the aircraft going up in smoke after it span for minutes at the airport
Emergency responders rushed to the scene, though both the pilot and his friend died at the scene
Above, emergency workers look at the wreck after the fire was put out with foam. The airport closed but reopened the next day
Lewis's friend Robert Fudge told KSWB that his longtime pal also loved flying.
'As we mourn his loss, we are reminded to value the precious gift of life each and every day. He will be deeply missed by us and the entire real estate community,' Mary Lee Blaylock of his emplyer Berkshire Hathaway Home Services said.
McClellan-Palomar Airport reopened on the afternoon after the deadly crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident.
Most watched News videos
- Shocking moment woman is abducted by man in Oregon
- British Army reveals why Household Cavalry horses escaped
- Moment escaped Household Cavalry horses rampage through London
- New AI-based Putin biopic shows the president soiling his nappy
- Prison Break fail! Moment prisoners escape prison and are arrested
- Ammanford school 'stabbing': Police and ambulance on scene
- Wills' rockstar reception! Prince of Wales greeted with huge cheers
- Shadow Transport Secretary: Labour 'can't promise' lower train fares
- All the moments King's Guard horses haven't kept their composure
- Columbia protester calls Jewish donor 'a f***ing Nazi'
- Helicopters collide in Malaysia in shocking scenes killing ten
- Shocking moment pandas attack zookeeper in front of onlookers
