A California family is coming together after a young boy was injured in a helicopter crash. Oliver Holland was enjoying a day at Huntington Beach when he suddenly found himself pinned under a helicopter that had crash landed in a highly populated area. As a result, he is in serious condition and has been hospitalized. Details about the crash are still being investigated, but police have confirmed the helicopter was part of a local event.
On October 11, 2025, 11-year-old Oliver was seriously injured, according to a verified GoFundMe fundraiser created by his sister, Madeline Ashwell. It’s raised more than $100,000 thus far.
“Oliver was enjoying a day at the beach when suddenly a helicopter malfunctioned and came crashing down on him,” Ashwell wrote on the page. “He is currently in the hospital receiving surgery; he has a collapsed lung and brain bleed. We are praying for a safe recovery and we can’t really say anything else.”
At the time, Ashwell made it clear the family was still unsure about the boy’s prognosis.
“Oliver was the smartest, funniest boy I have ever known. I pray for my brother and a safe recovery,” she wrote. In her post, Ashwell declared that any funds raised would go toward medical care for Oliver.
She also shared that neither of his parents is working so they can be there to support him as he goes through this traumatic experience.
“Please be kind, my family is truly hurting and so am I,” she wrote.
In her post, Ashwell said the family was still unsure “exactly what happened or who owned the helicopter.” But she believed that it may have been practicing for Cars ‘N Copters on the Coast, which was taking place on October 12. This was confirmed by the Huntington Beach Police Department in a news release.
KTLA obtained video footage of the crash, which showed bystanders rushing to help Oliver. According to witnesses, the tail rotor of the helicopter detached moments before it was sent crashing into palm trees. It also hit a pedestrian bridge as it came down.
Based on the footage, the boy was pinned under the helicopter. Two men attempted to free him. In addition to the boy, two other people on the ground were injured. Additionally, two people in the helicopter were hurt.
The pilot was identified as Eric Nixon by his father-in-law, Jerry Miller, per The Orange County Register. “He’s in the hospital with some broken ribs, crushed vertebrae and several bruises,” Miller said.
“The FAA and NTSB have been notified, and the investigation remains ongoing,” police shared in their statement.
