Particle.news
Get it on Google Play
Download on the App Store
3 ARTICLES
·
4d ago

Two Helicopter Crew Members Killed Near Widemouth 2 Fire

The deaths underscore the risks of heavy-lift firefighting and have prompted formal investigations by the NTSB and FAA.

A Sikorsky S-64 helicopter crashed near Richfield, Utah, at about 10 a.m. local time Friday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. (Photo: Jason Robison)
A Sikorsky S-64 helicopter crashed near Richfield, Utah, at about 10 a.m. local time Friday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. (Photo: Jason Robison)
A Sikorsky S-64 helicopter crashed near Richfield, Utah, at about 10 a.m. local time Friday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. (Photo: Jason Robison)
The Widemouth 2 Fire east of Fillmore on Tuesday. Responders who worked to find the bodies of the two firefighters killed in a helicopter crash Friday near the wildfire in central Utah described the treacherous conditions they navigated.

Overview

  • A Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane contracted to fight the Widemouth 2 Fire crashed on Friday, Aug. 7, killing the two crew members onboard and igniting nearby vegetation.
  • Ground teams attempted to reach the wreck but were forced to withdraw because steep, high-elevation terrain and advancing flames made access unsafe.
  • A Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter later inserted detectives and the medical examiner who recovered the remains and escorted them to the Taylorsville medical examiner’s office.
  • The pilots worked for Helicopter Transport Services and the company notified the families; Utah officials, including Gov. Spencer Cox, issued public condolences.
  • The NTSB and FAA have opened a formal investigation into the crash while crews continue firefighting operations and officials review safety and operational lessons for contracted aerial fire support.