Meteorologist and pilot killed in helicopter crash in Charlotte, N.C.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV/Gray News) - Meteorologist Jason Myers and pilot Chip Tayag, who worked for Charlotte television station WBTV, were killed in a helicopter crash early Tuesday afternoon.
WBTV, which is owned by Gray Media Group, Inc., issued the following statement about the crash:
“The WBTV family is grieving a terrible loss. Our news helicopter Sky3 crashed mid-day Tuesday with two of our colleagues on board. Meteorologist Jason Myers and pilot Chip Tayag lost their lives. We are working to comfort their families in this difficult time. We appreciate the outpouring of support for our staff and your continued prayers for their families.”
Myers grew up in Union and Catawba counties and watched WBTV as a child. His career took him to Raleigh, Texas and Virginia before he came back home to the Charlotte area.
He married his childhood friend, Jillian, and the two have four children together.
Tayag came to WBTV in 2017 as an ENG pilot operating Sky3.
He had been a pilot for more than 20 years.
The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash, which happened near Interstate 77 in south Charlotte.
The FAA released the following statement:
A Robinson R44 helicopter crashed near I-77 South and Nations Ford Road in Charlotte, N.C., around 12:20 local time today. Two people were on board. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will provide additional updates. Neither agency identifies people involved in aircraft accidents.
According to the FAA, the Robinson R44 helicopter crashed around 12:20 p.m. Tuesday.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings said no vehicles on the interstate were involved in the crash and the helicopter crashed off to the side of the roadway.
In a tweet, Jennings called Tayag a hero, stating that witnesses indicated he made “diversionary moves away from the highway to save lives.”
“Because of his heroic acts, there were no further injuries or vehicles on the highway involved in this incident,” Jennings said.
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