PALM RIVER, Fla. — One person inside a pickup truck was killed when a small helicopter crashed near a Palm River intersection Thursday afternoon, troopers said.

  • Helicopter suffers engine failure, crashes on Palm River road
  • Passenger in passing pickup truck hit by rotor blade, killed
  • Several roadways in area will be closed for hours, FHP says

The helicopter suffered engine failure and came down onto South 50th Street near Palm River Road at 2:21 p.m., the Florida Highway Patrol said.

A pickup traveling north on 50th Street was struck by one of the helicopter's rotor blades, which broke off when the helicopter hit the ground, sailed across the street, and flew at the truck.

The broken blade struck a passenger inside the truck and killed him.

The name of the person killed has not been released, but Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister said during a news conference later Thursday that the person was the father of the truck's driver.

The driver was transported to a hospital. No information has been released about his condition.

No other injuries were reported.

The FHP will be conducting the death investigation, Chronister said. The National Transportation Safety Board will conduct its own investigation of the crash to determine what caused the engine failure.

Troopers have closed several roads in the area of the helicopter crash in Palm River. They are urging motorists to avoid these areas for the next 6 to 12 hours:

  • S. 50th Street and State Road 60
  • S. 50th Street and ALL exits to State Road 618
  • S. 50th Street and 12th Avenue South
  • Palm River Road and S. 51st Street

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue is at the scene.

Spectrum News has a crew there. Check back for updates on this breaking-news story.