Two Crew Members Tragically Lost in Devastating Yosemite Wildfire Helicopter Crash

Two helicopter crew members were killed Sunday when their aircraft crashed while they were battling a wildfire in Yosemite National Park.

The deadly crash occurred as firefighting crews worked to contain the Dome Fire in Mariposa County.

The helicopter went down shortly before 3 p.m. with two people on board, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Both people aboard the aircraft died in the crash.

The aircraft was identified as a Eurocopter AS32. It crashed at about 2:55 p.m. on Sept. 20 while firefighting crews were operating in the area.

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The FAA placed the crash in Mariposa County, where the Dome Fire had been burning since Sept. 15. By the time of the helicopter disaster, the wildfire had already scorched more than 3,000 acres.

Aerospace company Precision confirmed the deaths of both crew members. The company described the loss as devastating and issued a statement focused on the grief facing the crew members’ families and its team.

“We are devastated by this loss and are struggling to find the words,” Precision said in a statement. The company did not offer further details about the two people who died in the material provided.

“We ask for privacy and compassion for their families and our team as we grieve this tremendous loss,” the Precision statement continued. The request came as officials prepared to investigate what caused the aircraft to go down.

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The crash added a fatal emergency to the response surrounding the Dome Fire. Crews were confronting a blaze that had spread across thousands of acres in the days after it ignited in Mariposa County.

The Dome Fire began Sept. 15, five days before the helicopter crashed on Sept. 20. Officials reported Monday that the fire had reached 15% containment.

CAL FIRE said the wildfire had moved into areas previously burned by other fires. Those areas included land affected by the 2017 Empire Fire.

Less vegetation in the previously burned areas contributed to reduced fire behavior, according to CAL FIRE. Officials described the conditions there as creeping and smoldering rather than the more aggressive activity possible in areas with heavier vegetation.

That reduced behavior did not eliminate the danger surrounding the Dome Fire. Winds were still carrying embers ahead of the main fire, creating additional risks beyond its central footprint.

Those airborne embers were causing spot fires to the north, officials said. The activity showed that the fire could still spread beyond the main burning area even where conditions had become less intense.

The helicopter was operating during this active firefighting response when it crashed. The aircraft went down at roughly 2:55 p.m., only minutes before 3 p.m., matching the timeline provided by federal aviation officials.

Image Credit: PG&E / ALERTCalifornia

The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to lead the investigation into the crash. The FAA is also expected to participate in that investigation.

The agencies’ investigation will center on the helicopter crash while the wildfire response continues in Yosemite National Park. The source provided no determination about what caused the Eurocopter AS32 to go down.

Precision’s statement remained focused on the human cost of the crash. Its message emphasized the company’s struggle to find words for the loss and asked that the grieving families and team be treated with privacy and compassion.

The deaths occurred against the backdrop of a wildfire that remained only partially contained Monday. Although previously burned areas were experiencing reduced fire behavior, winds continued moving embers and igniting spot fires north of the main blaze.

The crash left two helicopter crew members dead as crews continued battling the Dome Fire. Federal investigators are expected to examine the fatal incident, with the National Transportation Safety Board leading and the FAA participating.

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