Overview
- A Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma operated by contractor FlyPrecision crashed while doing water-bucket drops on the Dome Fire southeast of Ostrander Lake on Sunday, Sept. 20, killing both people on board.
- FlyPrecision and multiple agencies confirmed the deaths and said the pilots were the only occupants; the contractor later identified them as Greg King and Ryan Cutter and authorities recovered the remains for the coroner.
- The NTSB is the lead investigator with the FAA participating and has said investigators will access the site when fire conditions allow and aim to issue a preliminary report in roughly 30 days.
- The crash occurred during ongoing suppression of the Dome Fire, which has burned about 3,000-plus acres in steep backcountry and is roughly 15% contained, forcing heavy reliance on helicopters for water drops and crew insertion.
- The deaths underscore the acute risks of aerial wildfire work in remote, smoky terrain and could prompt operational and safety reviews of bucket and helitack missions while crews continue fire control and support for affected personnel and families.