Submitted by Fox First at Ten on July 1st
CAMP VERDE, Ariz. (AP) - A private helicopter that crashed into an Arizona river killed all four people who were onboard, sheriff's officials said Sunday.
The crash in the remote area likely took place Saturday during a flight from Sedona to Scottsdale, the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
Search crews with the Civil Air Patrol started looking for the Aerospatiale AS350 helicopter on Saturday when it was reported overdue, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said.
The wreckage was spotted around 8:45 a.m. Sunday by a private pilot south of Camp Verde, Gregor said.
Searchers reached the Verde River crash site on Sunday and found four bodies - the pilot, 70-year-old Raymond Perry of Phoenix, 68-year-old passenger Karen Stinn of Cave Creek and 63-year-old Mike Dunaway and 64-year-old Linda Dunaway of Glendale.
Perry was the owner of the helicopter, which was based in Scottsdale, the sheriff's office said.
National Transportation Safety Board investigators were looking at the wreckage Sunday afternoon to determine what caused the crash.
Camp Verde is about 86 miles north of Phoenix.
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