Newlyweds Will Byler and Bailee Ackerman, pilot killed in helicopter crash 90 min after wedding
UVALDE, Texas -- A couple who were just married for an hour and a half were killed Saturday night when their helicopter went down in Uvalde, Texas.
The groom's grandfather William Byler confirmed to Eyewitness News that the aircraft went down Saturday at their family ranch. His grandson Will Byler, Will's new wife Bailee Ackerman and the aircraft's pilot, Gerald Douglas Lawrence all died in the crash.
Eyewitness News spoke to Lawrence's stepdaughter, Amilyn Willard, who said he was a captain in the army and fought in Vietnam.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the accident involving a Bell 206B helicopter. The accident happened about 15 miles northwest of Uvalde, according to NTSB's information.
The couple's wedding portal on planning website The Knot further confirmed their nuptials taking place on Nov. 3 in Uvalde on Byler's family ranch. Engagement photos also show Byler in his cowboy hat embracing Ackerman.
The Sam Houston State University students were surrounded by family and friends as they flew off in the family helicopter.
A wedding guest shared video of the couple's lavish departure on board the doomed aircraft:
After learning about the newlyweds' fatal crash, the Sam Houston State University Rodeo Team took to Facebook to share their condolences.
On Monday afternoon, NTSB officials said the helicopter was in the air for five to 10 minutes when it crashed into a rocky hillside.
Craig Hatch, an air safety investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, said the wreckage is strewn across the hillside that rises above rugged terrain about 80 miles west of San Antonio.
The helicopter was owned by the family of William Byler and Lawrence had been a pilot for the family for years.
The couple was supposed to be flown to San Antonio where they were to get a flight for their honeymoon destination.
Hatch says it's too early to determine what caused the crash but that a preliminary NTSB report will be issued in about two weeks.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
