Six dead after helicopter crashes into mountain and bursts into flames

A helicopter with six people on board has crashed into mountains in West Virginia, and it has been confirmed that none of the passengers survived.

The incident took place on Kelly Mountain, near Route 17, which is also known as Blair Mountain Highway, in Logan County.

Ray Bryant, the Chief of Operations for the Logan Emergency Management Authority, confirmed that there had been no survivors with the victims yet to be named although they were not local.

The helicopter was a Bell UH-1B model, confirmed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is nicknamed the Huey and is a military aircraft that was extensively used during the Vietnam war.

The same model was also used in Die Hard and Baywatch. 

Before the crash, it had been used for tourism flights from Logan airport.

Authorities have not identified yet what went wrong with the aircraft.

Mr Bryant said the helicopter crashed onto Route 17 and was on fire when crews arrived at the scene. He added that one of the owners of the helicopter is with emergency services at the incident.

“Everybody’s sadden that this has occurred in our county, and they’re distraught over the incident,” said Sonya Porter, the deputy director of the Logan County Office of Emergency Management, reported WVMetroNews.

The US National Transport Safety Board stated: "NTSB is sending a team of five investigators and a family assistance specialist to the site of today's crash of a Bell UH-1B in Logan, West Virginia."

A blocked road near the crash site (WSAZ/Matt Lackritz)

The road is expected to remain closed for at least 24 hours and is blocked off from about a mile from the incident with people being told to avoid the area.

Logan County Office of Emergency Management posted on Facebook: "Please be advised that WV RT 17 near Kelly Hollow is temporarily closed due to a helicopter crash in Logan County. It’s undetermined at this time when the roadway will be able to reopen."

West Virginia Governor Jim Justice tweeted that he and his wife were praying for the families involved.

He wrote: “Cathy and I are praying for the families of those killed in this tragic helicopter crash.”