On a fateful Thursday morning, August 7, 2025, the serene waters of the Mississippi River near West Alton, Missouri, became the scene of a harrowing tragedy. At approximately 11:05 a.m., a lightweight utility helicopter, an MD 369, plummeted into a barge after striking a power line, erupting into a fiery inferno that claimed the lives of the two workers aboard. The catastrophic crash, which unfolded just half a mile downriver from the Melvin Price Lock and Dam, sent shockwaves through the small communities of Alton, Illinois, and West Alton, Missouri, roughly 20 miles north of St. Louis.
The helicopter, operated by a contractor and subcontractor for Ameren, was engaged in routine maintenance work, repairing and replacing aviation warning markers—those unmistakable orange spheres adorning high-tension power lines that stretch across the river. Witnesses described a sudden, heart-stopping moment when the aircraft collided with a power line. “It was doing something with the balls up there, and all of a sudden, it wasn’t a helicopter anymore—it was a thousand pieces,” recounted Wallace Meyer, a local fisherman who witnessed the disaster unfold during an expedition. Another onlooker, Adam Briggs, captured chilling video footage of the aftermath, describing a “fiery ball” that streaked across the river and crashed onto the Missouri-side barge, sending plumes of thick black smoke billowing into the sky.
The barge, docked about 200 yards downstream from the lock and dam, was carrying ethylene glycol—a chemical used in antifreeze and coolant—raising immediate concerns about potential environmental hazards. Fortunately, no one was aboard the barge at the time of the crash, and no additional injuries were reported. Firefighters from the Alton Fire Department, aided by a private tugboat and the department’s Marine 1 rescue boat, acted swiftly, extinguishing the blaze within an hour. The Missouri State Highway Patrol confirmed that the downed power line fell into the river but caused no power outages in the region, a small mercy amid the tragedy.
The crash’s aftermath brought immediate disruptions. The U.S. Coast Guard closed the Upper Mississippi River to commercial navigation between mile markers 199 and 201 to ensure no debris endangered the waterway, a critical artery for shipping crops and goods. The Lewis and Clark Bridge, connecting Illinois and Missouri, was temporarily shut down, though it reopened within two hours. Lock and Dam Way, along the river’s eastern bank, was also briefly closed, though access to the nearby National Great Rivers Museum remained open.
As first responders from the Alton Fire Department, St. Charles County Ambulance District, and Missouri State Highway Patrol descended on the scene, a somber mood settled over the area. A man identified as a co-owner of the helicopter company stood near the crash site, visibly overcome with emotion, surrounded by the large fiberglass spheres the crew had been working to install. Ameren issued a heartfelt statement, expressing deep sorrow: “We are saddened about today’s tragic incident. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the victims’ families and colleagues. We will cooperate fully with the investigation.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched a joint investigation to uncover the cause of the crash. An NTSB investigator was expected to arrive on-site by Friday, August 8, to examine the wreckage, which now lies beneath a blue tarp on the barge. Authorities have yet to release the identities of the two victims, pending notification of their families.
The tragedy struck just a day after another helicopter crash in Ghana claimed eight lives, casting a shadow over the global aviation community. As the investigation unfolds, questions linger about what went wrong on that cloudy morning, with winds blowing gently at 8 mph and visibility clear for 10 miles. For now, the Mississippi River flows quietly past the site of the crash, a solemn reminder of the fragility of life and the risks faced by those who work in its shadow.
