Dean Fioresi is a web producer for CBS Los Angeles. He covers breaking news throughout Southern California. When he's not writing about local events, he enjoys focusing on sports and entertainment.
A pilot suffered minor injuries when the two-seat helicopter they were flying crashed near French Valley Airport on Thursday.
It happened at around 1 p.m. in the northern end of the airport's perimeter near Auld Road and Briggs Road in the census-designated community located just north of Temecula, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
Firefighters and deputies with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department rushed to the location and found the aircraft, a Cavalon gyroplane, in open land. They said that the helicopter suffered "moderate" damage in the crash, but there was no fire.
The pilot, who has not been identified, was assessed at the scene by paramedics who deemed his injuries superficial. He declined medical transport to a hospital. He was the lone occupant of the helicopter.
Nearly 10 gallos of high-octane aviation fuel spilled from the helicopter's 26-gallon fuel tank following the crash. A hazardous materials team from the Riverside County Fire Department was called to the scene but canceled shortly after as the gas absorbed into the ground, firefighters said.
Still, inspectors with Riverside County's Department of Environmental Health were called to determine if the spill presented any safety hazards.
Both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were investigating the cause of the crash. Investigators with the FAA said that the aircraft's registration was expired at the time of the incident.
The airport remained open throughout the duration of the crash and preliminary investigation.