Special to the Record
A news helicopter had to make an emergency landing in Chelsea on Oct. 28.
The Chelsea Fire Department responded to an incident involving an emergency landing of a helicopter on Marginal Street in Chelsea on the afternoon of Tuesday, Oct. 28.
The helicopter, operated by NBC Boston, experienced mechanical problems while flying over the city, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing around 2:30 p.m. The aircraft landed without incident and there were no reported injuries.
The pilot, who stated that at one point he thought he would have to land in the area of Essex Street and Shawmut Street, was able to maneuver the helicopter to a vacant lot on Marginal Street.
“The pilot did an amazing job in avoiding our densely packed neighborhoods. This could have been disastrous if he had not reached the vacant lot,” said Chelsea Fire Chief John Quatieri.
The Chelsea Fire Department and Police Department remained on scene until the helicopter’s rotor was removed and the aircraft was loaded onto a flatbed truck at midnight.
The cause of the mechanical issue is under investigation by the Massachusetts State Police and National Transportation Safety Board.