North Carolina News Meteorologist and Helicopter Pilot Die in Crash

Meteorologist Jason Myers and pilot Chip Tayag, who worked at WBTV in North Carolina, died in a Nov. 22 helicopter crash. Read the station’s statement on the “terrible loss.”

By Kelly Gilmore Nov 22, 2022 10:08 PMTags
Watch: In Memoriam: Fallen Stars of 2022

A North Carolina news station has lost two team members in a helicopter crash.

Meteorologist Jason Myers and pilot Chip Tayag were killed in a Nov. 22 helicopter crash near Interstate 77, their news station confirmed.

"The WBTV family is grieving a terrible loss," WBTV shared in a Nov. 22 statement. "Our news helicopter Sky3 crashed mid-day Tuesday with two of our colleagues on board. Meteorologist Jason Myers and pilot Chip Tayag lost their lives."

The statement noted how the station plans to support the families of their late colleagues.

"We are working to comfort their families in this difficult time," the statement continued. "We appreciate the outpouring of support for our staff and your continued prayers for their families."

Tayag, who came to WBTV in 2017, led a career as a pilot for over 20 years, the station shared in an article on the crash.

Myers' career, which lasted more than 16 years, took him to Texas, Virginia and Kentucky before returning to North Carolina, per his LinkedIn.

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For Myers, working at WBTV was a full-circle moment as he grew up in North Carolina and watched the station as a kid. He is survived by his four children and wife, Jillian.

Bekah Birdsall, a fellow meteorologist at the station, paid tribute to her late co-worker.

"Unbelievably sad to even be typing this as I just talked to Jason before he left this afternoon," she wrote in a Nov. 22 tweet. "Jason was a crucial member of our weather team and was loved by everyone. Always encouraging everyone around him. Pray for his family he leaves behind."

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Meanwhile, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Chief Johnny Jennings shared a message on the crash, calling Tayag a "hero."

"The pilot is a hero in my eyes," he wrote in a Nov. 22 tweet. "Witnesses indicated that the pilot made diversionary moves away from the highway to save lives. Because of his heroic acts, there were no further injuries or vehicles on the highway involved in the incident."

According to WBTV, the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are currently investigating the cause of the helicopter crash.

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