Tragedy struck the Houston area when a helicopter collided with a radio tower last night and crashed to the ground ... killing 4 people, including a child.
The moment the chopper hit the radio tower was caught on camera ... and one witness captured the fiery aftermath of the tragedy.
Watch the vid ... a fireball plummets to the ground as debris begins to crumble around it -- shocking residents in the area. Smoke fills the air, as the surrounding area is set ablaze.
The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed to USA Today ... the helicopter, known as a Robinson R44, crashed into a local radio tower Sunday evening after the chopper took off from Ellington Airport on an air tour.
Per Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz, all of the people onboard the aircraft perished in the collision.
He added ... "This is a tragic event tonight. A tragic loss of life."
The cause of the crash remains unknown ... but multiple agencies -- including NTSB, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Houston Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Houston Fire Department -- are investigating the collision.
While the radio tower and the helicopter were both damaged in the incident, no homes or other structural damage resulted from the impact.
The identities of the victims have yet to be revealed.
We're sure more developments are to come ... so, stay tuned.