Helicopter crashes in Chicago suburb shortly after takeoff

PROSPECT HEIGHTS, Ill. (AP) - A helicopter crashed onto a street in a Chicago suburb Wednesday morning, leaving the pilot with minor injuries, authorities said.

The Robinson R44 helicopter crashed onto Milwaukee Avenue in Prospect Heights, striking a light pole as it came down, said Steve Mella, deputy chief of the Wheeling Fire Department.

He said that the pilot had already exited the aircraft by the time firefighters arrived and the man was transported to a hospital with minor injuries.

Television footage showed the helicopter, surrounded by crash debris and its tail bent, on the edge of the avenue, which authorities temporarily closed.

FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory said in an email the the crash occurred about 6:40 a.m. CDT, about one mile (1.6 kilometers) south of Chicago Executive Airport and the pilot was the only person aboard.

The Chicago Executive Airport said in a statement that the private helicopter crashed shortly after takeoff from the airport, which was closed for a short time after the crash but has since reopened.

The crash remains under investigation by several agencies, including the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board, according to the statement.