This image provided by Adam Briggs shows smoke fills the air from a barge after a helicopter crash in the Mississippi River near Alton, Ill., on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025.
ALTON — The fatal Aug. 7 helicopter crash over the Mississippi River near Alton occurred when the aircraft hit a power line and fell onto a barge and caught fire, a National Transportation Safety Board preliminary report has confirmed.
Killed were the pilot, Nicholas Fulton, 35, of Salem, Missouri, and a utility lineman, Michael Cody Curry, 37, of Ashley, Illinois. The two were part of a crew working on power lines crossing the river.
The report said a witness on a towboat reported that the helicopter pilot and lineman, who appeared to be standing on the left skid wearing a safety harness, were trying to attach an "orange ball" safety marker to one line. On a second attempt, the tail of the helicopter struck the line.
The witness reported that it appeared that part of the helicopter separated from the airframe, leaving some of the separated portion dangling. The helicopter then pivoted and the cockpit hit the line, causing sparks similar to when an electrical transformer fails, the report said.
The NTSB said the witness didn't recall seeing the helicopter on fire while in flight. The investigation includes examination of footage from a video data recorder on the tow vessel.
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This image provided by Adam Briggs shows smoke fills the air from a barge after a helicopter crash in the Mississippi River near Alton, Ill., on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025.
