Authorities in California are investigating and a suspect is on the loose after a helicopter was crashed during a theft attempt.
The incident occurred at Sacramento Executive Airport between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. on Wednesday. Multiple helicopters were broken into and one had briefly gone up before crashing on the tarmac.
No injuries were reported and the suspect remains on the run after fleeing the scene in an unknown condition.
The suspect had been unable to start the engines of three other helicopters, according to KCRA3. It’s unclear how the suspect sneaked onto the property.
A pilot told KCRA3 there were no surveillance cameras at the airport, which serves smaller aircraft.
Photos of the scene showed a black and red helicopter on its side that appeared to be completely totaled with heavily damaged blades, a bent tail and debris strewn around.
The crashed helicopter was a Bell 429, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The chopper is capable of flying at a top speed of 287 km/h with a range of 761 km, according to the manufacturer. A new model can cost as much as $6.4 million.
“This investigation is in its early stages and this information is preliminary as detectives work to learn exactly what occurred,” Sacramento police said in a statement.
The FAA said it was possible there was more than one suspect in the helicopter heist.
The incident is also being investigated by the FBI, the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board.