NEWS HELICOPTER CRASHES ON I-77, KILLS 2 WBTV EMPLOYEES

WBTV Meteorologist Jason Myers and WBTV Sky3 Pilot Chip Tayag were killed in a helicopter crash on November 23, 2022 on I-77 in Charlotte, NC. Jason and Chip were the only 2 abroad the helicopter. WBTV is a news station located in Charlotte.

The WBTV helicopter took off from the news station headquarters at 11:19 a.m. on November 23rd.

Less than an hour after takeoff, the helicopter crashed on Interstate 77.

The helicopter was seen circling around several times, likely in an attempt to make an emergency landing. The helicopter eventually lost control and fell to the grass side of Interstate 77 near the Nations Ford Road exit.

The pilot avoided hitting hundreds of vehicles on the highway. Chip and Jason were killed on impact. A few other motorists on the highway were injured, as an explosion occurred at the crash impact. 

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper released a statement saying:

“This is a terrible tragedy for the WBTV family and we are praying for them and all of those in the media who work so hard to keep the public informed.”

The deceased leave behind friends and family. The deadly crash caused traffic backups for over 12 hours as federal authorities investigated.