Type II Helicopter Down in NorCal

[brushfire21]

I hope people don't mind me posting these. If you do please chime in, but I feel its part of what we do here and if any of us can learn something, then its for the better. My thoughts and prayers go to the family and friends. This is at least the 3rd copter down this year, but I think the first fatality I have heard. Not a great start to the fire season it seems.

 

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link: http://www.inciweb.org/incident/800/

 

Summary

NEWS RELEASE

 

July 23, 2007 11:30 a.m.

 

At approximately 1015 a.m. on Monday, July 23, 2007, a type 2 helicopter was reported down on the Elk Fire burning within the Klamath National Forest. One fatality is confirmed and the pilot's name will be released pending family notification. The cause of the crash is under investigation and the National Transportation Safety Board has been notified. Fire crews and additional helicopter support are working to suppress a small ground fire associated with the crash.

 

The Elk Fire is one of 30 fires burning within the Elk Complex, Happy Camp Ranger District, Klamath National Forest. The Complex is 9,085 acres at 22% containment. Currently, there are 1,145 personnel assigned. The California Interagency Incident Management Team 5 is managing the Complex.

 

Additional information on the Elk Complex may be obtained by visiting http://www.inciweb.org/ (including other fires) or by calling the Klamath National Forest Fire Information Center at (530) 841-4451. Information on fire restrictions and area closures is available on the Klamath National Forest web site at www.fs.fed.us/r5/klamath/conditons/.

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[Goldy]

I hope people don't mind me posting these. If you do please chime in, but I feel its part of what we do here and if any of us can learn something, then its for the better.

 

Roger- I'm with you there. I hate seeing these, but each one (hopefully) becomes a learning experience. Firefighting is dangerous, doing it with a helicopter is really nuts. I hope this doesnt come back as yet another maintenance issue.

 

BTW, the Sikorsky they lost last year was also at Happy Camp. Funny, this is a town of about 30 people, yet it gets all the press.

 

My condolences to the pilots family.

 

Goldy

[HelliBoy]

a little more info from the AP

 

YREKA, Calif. — A helicopter delivering water to firefighters battling a blaze in the Klamath National Forest crashed Monday, killing the pilot, authorities said. Investigators were trying to determine what caused the chopper to go down in "extremely rugged" mountain territory about 12 miles southeast of Happy Camp in Siskiyou County, said Duane Lyon, a U.S. Forest Service spokesman.

The pilot, who was not identified, was under contract with the Forest Service but was not a government employee, Lyon said. The pilot was the only person on board. The helicopter was carrying a large water container to refill hand-pump backpacks for firefighters on the ground. Some firefighters saw the helicopter crash and reported it to emergency dispatchers. More than 1,100 fire crews were battling the cluster of about 30 lightning-sparked fires covering 14 square miles near the Oregon state line. The fires, which started July 10, had threatened up to 550 homes near the town of Happy Camp, but none has been destroyed.

 

RIP

[brushfire21]

Thanks for the update guys.