3 killed in pre-dawn Southern California helicopter crash at ‘movie ranch’ for filming

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Three people were killed in a pre-dawn helicopter crash Sunday in a rural area of Los Angeles County, authorities said.

Los Angeles County Fire dispatcher Robert Diaz said everyone on board died. The people have not been identified.

The circumstances surrounding the crash are still unknown, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer said.

Philip Sokoloski, a spokesman for FilmL.A., which processes filming permits for location shootings in the Los Angeles region, said a production company had been approved to use a helicopter for a reality TV show. The shoot was scheduled to go from Saturday afternoon into Saturday night.

Permit paperwork shows Bongo, Inc. was working on an untitled military-theme program. Records also show Crossbow Helicopters received approval to participate in filming from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Television footage showed mangled wreckage in a rugged canyon area.

According to its website, Polsa Rosa is a “movie ranch” where film crews can utilize a variety of terrains as well as two airstrips. The ranch, according to the Internet Movie Database, was used in “Windtalkers” and last year’s remake of “Red Dawn.”

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Tang reported from Phoenix.