Witnesses describe the fiery crash
AURORA -- Phil Maris was watching TV in his Amli apartment on Eola Road when he heard a "really loud noise" late Wednesday night.
Outside the apartment, Maris' girlfriend was in her car and saw a flash of light that illuminated the area around her. Then debris, including what looked like a piece of a helicopter's tail, rained down on her vehicle.
Maris called 911 and ran out to the field where the helicopter crashed. By the time he arrived, police were on the scene and prevented him from getting too close.
When the sun rose Thursday, Maris walked around his apartment and found pieces of debris "all over the place."
"I'm just in shock," Maris said. "It's just a tragedy."
Passerby Mike Maddox of Aurora was driving on Eola Road Wednesday night and noticed the light on top of the old radio station antenna was missing. Maddox said he saw a big orange arc in the sky, an explosion, then the helicopter went down in Night Heron Marsh Forest Preserve and exploded again.
He called 911 at 11:59 p.m.
Around that same time, Kail Malley was driving south on Eola Road on his way home from work when he saw the helicopter fly overhead and come down in the field about 300 yards from the road.
Five seconds later, the helicopter exploded into orange flames, and the Aurora man jumped out of his car and dashed into the field.
"It seemed like what you should do," he said.
Malley got about 10 feet into the shoulder-high reeds before emergency personnel pulled him out.
"The thing is, there was no noise, no sound," Malley said. "All I keep thinking is: What was in their minds?"
Jim Kosek of Batavia was driving north on Eola Road when he saw what at first looked like a flaming meteorite arching across the sky.
He watched the burning mass crash in the field of reeds and then explode. Kosek dialed 911.
"The way it was burning, even in the air, nobody could have survived that thing," Kosek said.
Zack Robinson, who lives on Amli Court, said he was watching TV at home when he heard thudding noises outside. When he heard car alarms going off around him, he knew something was wrong. He went outside to investigate and found debris had shattered windshields and punctured tires of cars parked around his home.
Staff writers Andre Salles, Christine S. Moyer and Matt Hanley contributed to this report.
COMPLETE COVERAGE OF AIR ANGELS CRASH
Photos: Kirstin laid to rest
Photos: Workers fix radio tower
Photos: Copter crash probe begins
Photos: Family's mourning begins
Photos: The victims
Photos: Crash scene
Twitter: Latest developments
Map: Crash site
Tears, rain fall as tiny crash victim buried
Flight nurse a hero: 'Gave his life for little baby'
Hero's selfless final act offers some solace'
Monday stories
NTSB gets surveillance video Leland girl killed in crash laid to rest
Sunday stories
Close-knit town asks to mourn in private
Work finishes on damaged radio tower
Saturday stories
Tower work complete, residents may return
In wind, rain, workers chop up radio tower
Radio tower well-known to local pilots
Friday stories
Radio tower dismantled after helicopter crash
Family of tiniest victim mourns flight crew
Helicopter crash probe could take months
Residents evacuating apartments near tower
Witnesses describe the fiery crash
Air Angels: 'We look at what's best for the patient'
FAA under pressure to improve safety for EMS flights
Crash turns focus on air transport safety
Helicopter crew remembered as heroes
Shock settles on emergency response crews
Thursday stories
Aurora helicopter crash kills Air Angels crew, child
Friends speak of Air Angels crew's dedication
Witness: Debris rained down from the sky
NTSB investigating cause of crash
Police ask residents near crash to evacuate
Last Air Angels crash in Fox Valley 5 years ago
