Mark Huber is an aviation industry veteran who has worked in the flight training, aircraft sales, aircraft component, and airport development businesses. He has flight time in more than 50 different and diverse aircraft, including helicopters, aerobatic aircraft, vintage warbirds, jet fighters, business jets and turboprops, and transport-category aircraft. He has jumped out of several of these—on purpose—with a parachute. His defense and aviation journalism has been published in a variety of national and international periodicals.

Contributor

Mark Huber

A well-known television helicopter pilot was killed Friday afternoon when a 1969 Bell UH-1H crashed into a Mesa, Arizona park. Chip Paige, 55, was the sole passenger and one of two aboard the aircraft, N3276T, owned by Bell Asset Management of Higley, Arizona. The pilot, identified by law enforcement as Albert Hayden, survived with serious injuries.

 


Witness video of the accident shows the helicopter in a descending spin before impacting terrain. Numerous post-accident media reports said the helicopter’s tail rotor was recovered 1.12 miles from the impact site.

 


The flight originated at Los Angeles Whiteman Airport with an intermediate fuel stop in Blythe, California,&nbsp;and was en route to Falcon Field&nbsp;in Mesa. Paige, who held ATP and helicopter certificates, was a pilot-reporter for KNBC-TV in Los Angeles between 2002 and 2009. He currently served as president of Pacific Aviation Holdings in Scottsdale, an aircraft management firm that specialized in late-model Gulfstreams.&nbsp;The accident helicopter, S/N 69-15911, was originally built for the U.S. Army. It was rebuilt after a serious long-lining accident following an engine failure in 2008. At that time, records indicated it had accumulated 11,702 hours of airframe time.

News about significant aircraft accidents and information from accident reports.

Huey Crash Kills Former L.A. Newscopter Pilot

Chip Paige was killed when a 1969 Bell UH-1H crashed into a Mesa, Arizona park.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Amy Wilder

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Pilot died of cardiac arrest during the flight

NTSB: Pax Safely Lands King Air after Pilot Collapsed

Vehicle also struck parked ground-support tractor; there were no injuries

Teen Driver Breaches Fence, Hits PlaneSense PC-12 at KPSM

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

Six fatal accidents resulted in 22 fatalities in the quarter

NBAA Report Flags Powerplant, Collision Risks in Q2 Data

Curt Epstein

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Twenty years ago, a business jet and commerical airliner collided; the smaller airplane survived

Remembering a Solemn Anniversary: the Amazon Midair 

David Jack Kenny

Preliminary and final accident reports, September 2026

Business Aircraft Accident Reports: September 2026

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

More In Accidents

NTSB: Pax Safely Lands King Air after Pilot Collapsed

Pilot died of cardiac arrest during the flight

Teen Driver Breaches Fence, Hits PlaneSense PC-12 at KPSM

Vehicle also struck parked ground-support tractor; there were no injuries

NBAA Report Flags Powerplant, Collision Risks in Q2 Data

Six fatal accidents resulted in 22 fatalities in the quarter

Remembering a Solemn Anniversary: the Amazon Midair

Twenty years ago, a business jet and commerical airliner collided; the smaller airplane survived

Business Aircraft Accident Reports: September 2026

Preliminary and final accident reports, September 2026

NTSB Cites Heliport Misidentification in Aug. 2025 Crash

Captain opted out of instrument approach over autopilot concerns

Fire of Unknown Origin Led to 2024 Citation X Accident

NTSB: Ignition source could not be conclusively identified

NTSB: Bell 206L Damage Caused by Aeroelastic Interaction

Helicopter experienced a vertical hop for which the pilot didn’t know the recovery procedure

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN