Mountain View Auto Group president involved in Hawaii helicopter crash

Clay Watson, Mountain View Auto Group president, was involved in a Hawaii helicopter crash Wednesday evening with his two daughters, Clayton and Kennedy Watson.

The Chattanooga-based dealer was taking a sightseeing tour over a lava field on the Big Island when the aircraft went down around 5:30 p.m., according to a report by Hawaii News Now.

Six people, including the Watsons and the pilot, were on board when the crash occurred. A seriously injured 19-year-old and 54-year-old man were taken to the hospital. As of Friday morning, nobody on board had been reported dead.

On Facebook, a family member said Kennedy Watson "broke her ankle and fractured her back," and that Clay and Clayton Watson "walked out with some scratches and bruises."

Automotive News could not verify this information at time of publication.

Mountain View Auto Group did not give a comment at time of publication.

The family-owned group has a number of dealerships in eastern Tennessee and northern Georgia. Brands sold include Chrysler, Ford and Hyundai.

The tour was operated by Paradise Helicopters. According to the National Transportation Safety Board database, the company has been involved in at least one other accident in the past two decades.

In 2005, a Paradise Helicopters aircraft received "substantial" damage after making contact with a tree during landing. No passengers were injured in the event, according to the NTSB report.

No cause had been determined yet for Wednesday's crash.

An NTSB spokesperson told the Associated Press that it will send an investigator to the scene after the wreckage has been recovered.

Paradise Helicopters' operating company, K&S Helicopters, released the following statement Wednesday:

"At this time, K&S Helicopters Emergency Response Plan has been activated and the full resources of the company are being mobilized to respond to the incident. K&S Helicopters is cooperating with all authorities involved, and is also working to assist those affected."

Said K&S Helicopters President Calvin Dorn: "The care of our passengers, crew members, and their families is our highest priority."