Helicopter crash lands in Hillsborough County, killing one on the ground. The pilot was from Bradenton.

One person is dead after a helicopter crash-landed onto a busy road in Hillsborough County, according to Florida Highway Patrol, and struck a vehicle on the ground.

The aircraft was piloted by a 39-year-old-man from Bradenton and co-piloted by a 21-year-old man from Pinellas Park.

Troopers say the helicopter’s engine failed at 2:21 p.m.

The aircraft crashed onto 50th Street near the Palm River Road intersection in Palm River-Clair Mel, an unincorporated area of Hillsborough County.

The occupants of the helicopter were uninjured, according to FHP.

However, the aircraft’s spinning rotor blades struck a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, killing 72-year-old passenger Deodat Persaud Gangapersaud of Plant City. The driver, a 35-year-old man from Dover, sustained minor injuries.

The helicopter is a Robinson R44 II, according to Federal Aviation Administration records. The model has a higher rate of deadly crashes per flying hour than any other American helicopter, according to a 2018 Los Angeles Times investigation.

The intersection at 50th Street and Palm River Road and surrounding roadways were closed throughout the day as troopers investigated the incident. All roads were reopened as of 9:45 p.m. Thursday, according to FHP.

This story was originally published April 4, 2019 at 3:26 PM.