3 Killed in Reality Show Crash [VIDEO]: Tragic Helicopter Crash in California on Set of Discovery Channel's Military-Themed Reality Show

3 people were killed on Sunday in a pre-dawn helicopter crash while filming a new reality television show for the Discovery Channle in a rural area of northern Los Angeles County. The crash occurred at about 3:40 a.m. at a popular filming location, Polsa Rosa Ranch, in the city of Acton, California. The names of the 3 victims have yet to be released but Los Angeles County Fire dispatcher Robert Diaz confirmed their deaths.

The show involved in the crash had yet to be announced by the Discovery channel and was a military-themed reality program according to a filming permit. Footage from the production showed the wrecked helicopter in a rough canyon area close to Soledad Canyon Road. In a statement released in response to the crash, the Discovery channel said:

"A production company was shooting a show for Discovery Channel when this tragic accident occurred. We are all cooperating fully with authorities. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families."

Eyeworks USA, the productions company responsible for the show, issued a similar statement expressing sympathies to the victim's families and cooperation with authorities.

According to Philip Sokoloski, spokesperson for film permit processing company FilmLA, the use of the helicopter had been approved for a Saturday afternoon to Sunday morning shoot on the ranch. The Federal Aviation Administration allowed the participation of Crossbow Helicopters in the television production. A spokesman for the FAA, Allen Kenitzer, stated that the causes and circumstances for the crash have yet to be discovered.

Sunday's helicopter crash was also just 25 miles from a similar filming location in Santa Clarita where another helicopter crash occurred while filming the Twilight Zone film in 1982. Actor Vic Morrow and 2 children were killed in the crash. This Twilight Zone crash led to production restriction changes and even involuntary manslaughter charges for producer John Landis and 4 others. Landis and the others were acquitted.

Polsa Rosa's website states that it is a "movie ranch" that allows production crews to exploit different terrains as well as the use of 2 airstrips. The ranch has been used in such films as Windtalkers and the 2012 remake of Red Dawn according to the Internet Movie Database (IMDB). Polsa Rosa was also used in the filming of the upcoming Johnny Depp movie, The Lone Ranger, in September. During an underwater shoot, a 48-year-old crew member had a heart attack and died in scuba gear.