Helicopter crash sparks fireball atop Mount Charleston

One woman and two men were injured in a helicopter crash while taking a pleasure flight around Mount Charleston about 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Las Vegas police said.

Officer Bill Cassell said the privately-owned helicopter left the North Las Vegas Airport about 6 p.m. The cause of the crash was unknown late Sunday.

The Clark County Fire Department reported the crash at 6:33 p.m.

The helicopter was flying at 11,500 feet near Charleston Peak when the crash occurred, police said.

A fireball was seen after the crash but there were no fatalities and the group was able to find shelter, according to one emergency responder at the scene. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department's Search and Rescue Unit transported the crash survivors off the mountain one at a time.

A 29-year-old man suffered burns to 18 percent of his body, the emergency responder said. He was taken by helicopter to University Medical Center.

Two others also were injured. A female victim suffered a head injury and a second male passenger had an ankle injury. One of them was transported by ambulance to a local hospital but police did not provide details. One victim refused medical treatment, Cassell said.

It is unknown who was piloting the helicopter or where the trio was headed Sunday. Names of those involved in the crash were not released by police.

The helicopter was a 2004 four-seat Robinson R-44 helicopter registered to Olisofi Llc. in Carlsbad, Calif.

Contact reporter Maggie Lillis at mlillis @reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0279.