Bell 525 crash kills two

Bell 525 Relentless

One of the prototype Bell 525 Relentless’ has crashed in Texas, killing both of the test pilots on board.

The helicopter was on a routine test flight when it came down in a field.

According to local reports, there were strong winds at the time of the accident.

Bell confirmed the accident in a statement issued on its website: “On July 6, 2016, a Bell 525 was involved in an accident while conducting developmental flight-test operations south of our Xworx facility in Arlington, Texas. Unfortunately, the accident resulted in the loss of two crew members. This is a devastating day for Bell Helicopter. We are deeply saddened by the loss of our teammates and have reached out to their families to offer our support. Bell Helicopter representatives are on site to assess the situation and provide any assistance to local, state and federal authorities. At this time we ask for your understanding as we work through all of the details. We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.”

The Bell 525 is the first helicopter to use fly-by-wire technology.