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The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has identified the two people who died Friday in a helicopter crash near Perris.

Two Murrieta men, 61-year-old Mark Carter and 62-year-old Dennis Foster, were aboard the Bell 407 helicopter when it crashed at 12:22 p.m. near Pulsar View Road in Nuevo, just east of Perris.

Authorities say a call was received about an air emergency moments before the seven-seater helicopter crashed down in the remote, unincorporated area.

The aircraft is typically used for short-haul transportation, utility operations and law enforcement, according to officials.

  • A Riverside County Sheriff's Department vehicle blocks the area where a helicopter crashed in Perris, killing two people on March 24, 2023. (KTLA)
    A Riverside County Sheriff’s Department vehicle blocks the area where a helicopter crashed in Perris, killing two people on March 24, 2023. (KTLA)
  • The scene of a helicopter crash that killed two people in a remote area just east of Perris on March 24, 2023. (KTLA)
    The scene of a helicopter crash that killed two people in a remote area just east of Perris on March 24, 2023. (KTLA)
  • The scene of a helicopter crash that killed two people in a remote area just east of Perris on March 24, 2023. (KTLA)
    The scene of a helicopter crash that killed two people in a remote area just east of Perris on March 24, 2023. (KTLA)
  • The scene of a helicopter crash that killed two people in a remote area just east of Perris on March 24, 2023. (KTLA)
    The scene of a helicopter crash that killed two people in a remote area just east of Perris on March 24, 2023. (KTLA)
  • The scene of a helicopter crash that killed two people in a remote area just east of Perris on March 24, 2023. (KTLA)
    The scene of a helicopter crash that killed two people in a remote area just east of Perris on March 24, 2023. (KTLA)
  • The scene of a helicopter crash that killed two people in a remote area just east of Perris on March 24, 2023. (KTLA)
    The scene of a helicopter crash that killed two people in a remote area just east of Perris on March 24, 2023. (KTLA)

Though the investigation of the crash has not yet been completed and the cause of the crash remains unknown, the RCSD report indicates that Foster died at 12:59 p.m., 37 minutes after the crash. Carter died at 1:06 p.m., seven minutes after Foster.

After Riverside County Sheriff’s aviation unit located the downed aircraft, deputies and firefighters hiked to the remote crash site where they discovered the two deceased passengers.

Although the helicopter was located about 10 miles north of the Hemet-Ryan Airport, it’s unclear whether that was the location it initially took off from.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are handling the investigation.

“The coroner’s office responded yesterday to recover the bodies of the decedents and the NTSB responded out [Saturday] morning to recover the wreckage of the helicopter,” said Sgt. Deirdre Vickers of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office. “We don’t have any information in regards to what led up to the crash. That’s part of the FAA and NTSB investigation.”

The families of the two identified men were notified of their deaths as the investigation continues. A preliminary report is expected to be released by the FAA and the NTSB in the next few days.