3 dead in crash on set of US reality TV show

The copter crashed about 3:40 am local time Sunday at the popular filming location of Polsa Rosa Ranch in Acton, Los Angeles County Fire dispatcher Robert Diaz said.

All three people aboard died, Diaz said. Their names weren't immediately released.

The show, listed on a filming permit as an untitled military-theme TV programme, had not yet been aired or announced by Discovery, channel spokeswoman Laurie Goldberg said.

"A production company was shooting a show for Discovery Channel when this tragic accident occurred," the station said in a statement. "We are all co-operating fully with authorities. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families."

The show's production company, Eyeworks USA, best known for creating NBC's The Biggest Loser, also issued a statement expressing sympathies to the victim's families and saying they were co-operating with authorities.

The company had been approved to use a helicopter for a reality TV show shooting at the ranch from Saturday afternoon until Sunday morning, said Philip Sokoloski, a spokesman for FilmLA.

Records also showed Crossbow Helicopters received approval to participate in filming from the Federal Aviation Administration. "We wouldn't have referenced helicopter activity if we didn't already have pre-approval from the FAA," Sokoloski said.

The cause and other circumstances surrounding the crash are still unknown, FAA spokesman Allen Kenitzer said. Television footage showed mangled wreckage in a rugged canyon area near Soledad Canyon Road.

According to its website, Polsa Rosa is a "movie ranch" where film crews utilize variety of terrains as well as two airstrips. The ranch, according to Internet Movie Database, was used in Windtalkers and last year's remake of Red Dawn.

Sunday's wreck was just 40 km from a similar rural spot in Santa Clarita where actor Vic Morrow and two children were killed in a helicopter crash while filming the Twilight Zone in 1982.

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