CHICAGO (WLS) — A helicopter with a mechanical problem landed on a South Side golf course Monday night, Chicago Fire Department officials said.
According to a post by CFD right before 6:30 p.m., a helicopter made an emergency landing on Jackson Park Golf Course in the 6200-block of South Richards Drive, close to the first hole.
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People were left shocked at the golf course after watching the helicopter lower from the sky, as the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing.
“Looked over, and there’s a helicopter on the course,” said witness Darryl Hill. “Never seen anything like this.”
Witness Millaun Brown said he heard sputtering coming from the helicopter as it was coming down.
“As it was descending, it was sputtering,” Brown said. “I could hear the helicopter sputtering as it was descending, as if it was losing power.”
Chicago fire officials explained that a mechanical issue forced the helicopter to change its course, resulting in a “controlled landing” near the first hole at Hayes and Richard Drive.
“It touched the ground, skidding about three times, and the rotor blade came very close to the ground,” mentioned Brown. “Had the pilot tilted it slightly, a crash landing would have been likely.”
That is when, Brown said, he ran over to help.
“I asked them if they were they OK, and they said it was fine. It was three people in the helicopter. It was a couple, male and female, and the driver,” Brown said.
CFD crews were checking on the occupants of the helicopter. Police sources said they are expected to be OK.
ABC7 learned that the company that owns the aircraft is SummerSkyz, a helicopter tour agency out of Lansing.
The owner of the company had no comment for ABC7 on Monday night.
“They are very fortunate that they weren’t killed or seriously injured,” Brown said.
The National Transportation Safety Board is now leading the investigation into the cause of this emergency landing.
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