They were on their way from the plane to report to a local TV station when the accident happened.
TV meteorologist Jason Myers and his pilot Chip Dayak died in a news helicopter crash near Charlotte, North Carolina, on Tuesday afternoon (local time).
When it crashed, the R44 helicopter narrowly missed the busy eight-lane Interstate 77 freeway at the time. The pilot still managed to avoid falling onto the roadway, witnesses said.
According to witnesses, the pilot was able to maneuver his plane to the side of the freeway
“A pilot is a hero in my eyes. Witnesses said the pilot swerved off the highway to save his life. Thanks to his heroic actions, no other people or vehicles were involved in the incident,” local police chief Johnny Jennings said on Twitter.
Myers and Dayak worked at television station WBTV and were constantly on the road as a crew for the station. Their colleagues, Jamie Ball and Molly Grantham, had to cover the tragedy live for at least 90 minutes before they tearfully confirmed Myers and Tyagh’s death.
The Panel of Assessors deliberately wanted to wait with this confirmation until the families of the victims were notified. Both paid tribute to their former colleagues and particularly praised the pilot’s prudent behavior in pushing the helicopter off the busy highway.
Television meteorologist Jason Myers is a father of four
Dayak has been a pilot for over 20 years, has worked at WBTV since 2017 and has been married for three years. Meteorologist Myers left behind a wife and four children.
The cause of the accident is still unclear. The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation. (AFP, Shu)
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