Three Die in College Park Helicopter Crash

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on April 20, 2015

On March 22^nd, 2015, three people were killed when the helicopter they were riding in, crashed in College Park, near Orlando, Florida. The three people were identified as Harry Anderson, 42, Bruce Teitelbaum, 48, and Marsha Khan, 55.

All three people were riding in a Robinson Model RR44II Helicopter, which is a four-seat chopper. They had taken off from the Orlando Executive Airport earlier in the day. Both Teitelbaum and Khan had a pilot’s license which they received approximately a year ago from HQ Aviation.

The helicopter crashed into a residential neighborhood in College Park, slamming into the second floor of a home at 722 Alameda Street, just off of Edgewater drive. The million-dollar home is owned by Phillip and Carole Finch, and it suffered extensive damage, but luckily no one was at home at the time.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration are both investigating the crash, with preliminary reports showing that the helicopter had taken off just three minutes prior to the accident. It had flown around two miles through downtown Orlando just before crashing.

The helicopter was valued at approximately $500,000, which is low-cost, compared to many helicopters which can cost millions. This particular helicopter was owned by Rosemary Spitzer of Hayward, California. She was saddened by reports of the crash, and notified the media that he had leased the helicopter to a customer in Orlando. This particular Robinson Helicopter model has been involved in other crashes in the United States and Australia, prompting the NTSB to require modifications to its fuel storage tanks. It is unclear on whether or not this particular helicopter had had the necessary corrections.

Teitelbaum and Khan were married, and they were active in charitable causes in the community. In fact, they had funded the construction on over 40 homes for Habitat for Humanity since 1990. They owned and operated Alligator Shredding and Recycling in Deltona, Florida. Their friend Anderson was a Navy veteran who loved sailing. He leaves behind a wife and three children.

If you have lost a loved one in a Florida aviation accident, contact us today at the Law Offices of James O. Cunningham, P.A. – 877-FL-INJURY (877-354-6587) for a free initial consultation.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.