Three die in Carbon County helicopter crash

PRICE — Three men were killed when their helicopter crashed into the ground not long after taking off from the Carbon County Airport Saturday afternoon.

Only remnants of the Hughes 500-series aircraft remained as the pilot had re-fueled just before taking off, carrying nearly 20 gallons of gasoline which caused an explosion upon impact.

Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration were en route to the crash site, about a mile west of the airport in Price, for further investigation Saturday evening.

"We can't even begin to speculate what happened to them up there," said Carbon County Sheriff James Cordova. "The wind conditions weren't that great and it was a pretty hot day."

It is unknown where the men were travelling, however, witnesses believed the three were heading to Salt Lake City following a fishing trip near Green River.