A helicopter crashed in a rugged area of Los Angeles' Griffith Park on Thursday afternoon, leaving four occupants with minor injuries.
Los Angeles fire officials and police responded to the crash scene just after 2:15 p.m. Aerial video showed the black aircraft had gone down not far from the Greek Theater.
The Federal Aviation Administration's registry indicated the Robinson R44 II Rotorcraft was manufactured in 2006 and was owned by Mile High Rotors LLC, based in Arvada, Colo.
The FAA will investigate the incident, agency spokesman Ian Gregor said in an email.
The Los Angeles Fire Department said in an alert that the four people on board all received minor injuries. The occupants were a pilot, a 33-year-old female, a 25-year-old female and a 25-year-old male.The pilot's age and gender were not reported.
A 50-year-old park ranger was airlifted by helicopter to a local hospital, as seen below at right. He suffered heat exhaustion and was in serious condition.
The fire department initially said the helicopter had three occupants, only one of which had minor injuries.
Four people had appeared to be walking on a trail away from the scene, accompanied by authorities, aerial video showed.
Fire Capt. Jamie Moore said the craft had come in for a "hard landing," and the pilot was able to get three passengers out safely.
Some fuel had leaked from the wreckage in the brush-covered surrounding area.
The aircraft was down near McComb Helispot, Moore said. Firefighters died in a helicopter crash near there in 1998, the fire department's Erik Scott said.
Aerial video showed the wreckage on a trail north of Commonweatlh Canyon Drive (map), next to the Roosevelt Municipal Golf Course.