An Army helicopter struck a power line in the fog and crashed in northeast Alabama, killing all three people on board, officials said Wednesday.
The chopper was based at Fort Campbell, Ky., where base spokesman Sgt. Mark Swart said the military had yet to release the names of the victims or the type of helicopter involved.
Jackson County Coroner John David Jordan said the helicopter hit a power line and crashed into a field near a house about 6:15 p.m. Tuesday. Debris was scattered over a large area, he said, and some of the wreckage burned.
“There was fog in the area at the time, but I don’t know if that was the cause,” Jordan said. He said the fog was too thick for a helicopter ambulance to reach to the crash site.
Terry Johnson, a spokesman with the Tennessee Valley Authority, said the helicopter struck a high-voltage line connecting a generating plant with a power substation near Huntsville. The wires were not carrying electricity at the time, though, because of maintenance work.
The crash site is about 190 miles southeast of Fort Campbell, which is home to the 101st Airbourne Division.
Swart said the military would investigate the cause of the crash.