This story has been updated with additional information.
Four people are dead after a private helicopter struck a broadcast tower in Houston, Texas, Sunday evening.
The website of Radio Insight reports that the tower served several broadcast stations including Univision FM stations KLTN and KAMA, as well as Pueblo de Galilea station KCOH.
CNN reported that four people including a child were killed in the accident in Houston’s Second Ward that caused a fiery explosion and toppled the structure near Engelke Street and North Ennis Street just before 8 p.m. Sunday. CNN affiliate KTRK quoted the city police chief confirming the deaths.
SBA Communications owns the structure, which was almost 1,000 feet. Univision had owned it until recently; a senior spokesperson for Univision told Radio World it had been sold along with several other towers in September.
Local television meteorologist Pat Cavlin, a pilot, had posted on social media shortly after the crash that a Notice to Air Missions or NOTAM had been filed for this tower reporting that its lights were not operable.
However, on Monday, SBA Communications issued a statement. Without referring to a specific post, SBA spokesperson Lynne Hopkins wrote in an email that there had “unfortunately been some incomplete and/or inaccurate information provided.”
Hopkins said, “NOTAMs with the FAA are to inform pilots of work notices, potential hazards or changes that may impact their flight. These types of notifications are to provide pilots information and direction to be cautious of a specific location and may be filed for a variety of reasons. This specific site was recently acquired by SBA on Sept. 6, 2024. As part of our standard process for newly acquired sites, SBA ensured a NOTAM was in place for this site in order to exercise caution during the change of ownership while we integrate the site into our Network Operations Center (NOC) for continuous 24/7 monitoring pursuant to FAA and FCC regulations.” [Read the full statement text.]
The statement did not explicitly say what the condition of the tower lights had been. “[T]his is an ongoing investigation led by federal officials, we are limited in the information we can disclose at this time. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.”
A security camera video posted on X, shown below, seemed to show a working top light.
MYSTUDIO HTX security camera caught the moment a helicopter crashed into a radio tower in Houston’s Second Ward, East End at 7:51:19 PM. #helicopter #helicoptercrash #houston #breaking #breakingnews #houston #secondward #mystudiohtx #jaymarroquin @KHOU @abc13houston @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/rap61Xr0XN
— Jay Marroquin (@JayMarroquin) October 21, 2024