An instructional flight turned deadly when a helicopter crashed Monday at the Hayward Executive Airport, officials said.
The flight instructor died in the crash and the other person on board, a student, was critically injured. The student was transported to Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley.
The flight instructor later was identified as 62-year-old Sunnyvale resident Wayne Prodger. The injured student's identity was not provided.
The crash was reported at 2:30 p.m. The Hayward airport on Skywest Drive, off Hesperian Boulevard, is near several shopping centers anchored by a Target and Home Depot.
Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said preliminary reports on the incident show a Robinson 44 helicopter crashed under unknown circumstances on the left side of Runway 28L at the airport.
City officials said the registered owner of the helicopter is Pacific Helicopters flight training based at the Hayward Executive Airport.
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.
