91-year-old dies after helicopter crashes into her house in Virginia

Police tell The Independent an investigation is underway to determine why the aircraft came down

A helicopter crashed into a Virginia townhouse killing a 91-year-old woman and setting fire to nearby properties.

Jean Lonchak Danylock died after the aircraft hit her block of flats, Virginia State police officer Michelle Anaya told The Independent.

“The Williamsburg Fire Department worked through the night to put out the fire and hot spots within the structure,” she said in a statement.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) were investigating the cause of the crash and working to confirm the identity of the pilot, who was the only person in the helicopter when it crashed.

Photos shared by the Virginia State police department showed extensive damage to the residential structure, with the worst of the destruction occurring on the second floor.

Charred furniture could be strewn across the lawn of the property.

Local media outlets reported the crash triggered the campus alert system at the nearby College of William and Mary.

The aircraft was an R44 helicopter, according to the FAA, which tweeted updates about the crash over the weekend.

The NTSB will announce the probable cause of the crash after conducting its investigation.