Overview
- Rescue teams responded after an aircraft supporting the Gold Mountain Fire went down at about 5:17 p.m. on Sunday and divers recovered the lone occupant from Silver Jack Reservoir.
- Authorities identified the pilot as 56-year-old Nicholas Dale of Sooke, British Columbia, and Helicopter Express confirmed his death after the body was transferred to the county coroner.
- The FAA’s preliminary report named the helicopter as a Kaman K-1200 K-MAX and said it "crashed under unknown circumstances, becoming inverted," while the NTSB will lead the formal investigation.
- The aircraft had been working on the Gold Mountain Fire, which began in late June and has burned roughly 35,000–36,000 acres with low containment and active suppression and evacuation orders in parts of the area.
- Officials and the aerial firefighting community said the crash highlights the dangers of contracted helicopter operations in steep terrain and fire conditions and could prompt closer scrutiny of tactics, contracts, and safety practices.