Huntington Beach helicopter crash victim GoFundMe raises over $45,000 as the young boy trapped underneath is hospitalized

A GoFundMe account established to assist in the healing of a young child who was injured in a helicopter crash in Huntington Beach on Saturday raised over $45,000, as of Sunday evening, and showcases support poured out of the community and beyond.

The fatal episode unfolded around 2 pm at the annual “Cars N Copters” event near a beachfront hotel in Huntington Beach, California, according to reports. A Bell 22SP helicopter piloted by stunt flyer Eric Nixon unexpectedly lost control and crashed into the ground near the crowded beach steps.

The chopper can be seen plummeting to the ground in a shocking video taken by bystanders, which was later obtained by KTLA-TV. In the video, the helicopter twists and turns as horrified spectators scream and scatter for safety.

UPDATE: Young boy pinned under helicopter that crash-landed on California beach

The injured boy, identified by his family as Oliver Holland, underwent surgery for “a brain bleed” in the incidenthttps://t.co/IE5Lbh7lDk pic.twitter.com/gvkKOwPPdP

— Video Forensics (@Video_Forensics) October 13, 2025

As the dust settled, onlookers ran toward the debris to pull out victims. Also among the trapped was 8-year-old Oliver Holland, who became trapped under the helicopter. The video clip appears to show two men hurriedly working to extricate him. Witnesses later reported a chaotic but heroic scene, with beachgoers putting their own safety at risk to treat the wounded.

Oliver’s sister, Madeline Ashwell, later said in a GoFundMe page that her brother had suffered a collapsed lung and a brain bleed and was in surgery.

"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," she wrote.

Ashwell said every cent raised would be used to settle Oliver’s medical fees, stating that both parents had stopped working in order to be at his bedside while he was hospitalized.

"Both parents will not be working due to this accident. Oliver is my half brother and we have the same mother. We are not blaming or accusing anyone. Please be kind my family is truly hurting and so am i," she added.

By Sunday evening, the fundraiser had raised more than $45,000 in donations and hundreds of messages of encouragement from strangers who offered support to the family.

More about the crash and other victims

Pilot Eric Nixon, who walked away from the crash with just minor injuries, said in an Instagram post that both he and his passenger emerged without serious injury.

But three others, including Oliver, were hospitalized with injuries ranging from minor to severe, authorities said. The other victims’ identities have not been officially released. Witnesses said the helicopter was spinning wildly out of control before it crashed. “It was spinning weird,” witness Jackson Etchert told the Orange County Register.

"I’m like, ‘Hmm, I wonder if it’s doing a trick.’ Then I saw it spinning ever faster, I’m like, ‘Nope, that thing is crashing. First the tail rotor snapped. Next thing I know I see something looked like it hit the main rotor blade," he added.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are now working to determine what led to the crash. The early reports indicated a possible mechanical failure, but officials did not confirm any of the details.

While organizers have yet to release a statement pertaining to the accident, Cars N Copters, an event that brings hundreds of people through the Huntington Beach area each year, has come under scrutiny in the wake of what happened.