2026 Wildfire Season: Two Fiefighting Helicopters in a Mid-Air Over Greece

Direct link to August 2nd video from Sky News on YouTube

I want to thank my friends at the New Jersey Forest Fire Service Section B10 website for sharing a video about the mid-air firefighting helicopter collision and crash on their home page. I understand that two people on one of the helicopters died while two on the other helicopter survived and were taken to the hospital. There will be an investigation into the cause of the mid-air crash. I offer my prayers for the two who died as well as the two who survived and are in the hospital. For more information about this crash please see this August 2nd report from Sky News

Names of two occupants of 6ABC Helicopter Crash Id'd

The two occupants, the pilot and photographer who died in the crash of the 6ABC News Helicopter have been identified. The pilot is Monroe Smith (age 67) and the photographer is Christopher Dougherty (age 45). May they rest in peace and fly in favorable winds. My prayers go out to their family, colleagues at 6ABC Philadelphia, friends and all who love them.

Direct link to video from 6ABC Philadelphia

Direct link to video from 6ABC Philadelphia

News Helicopter from ABC6 in Philadelphia Crashes in Wharton State Forest

 I was quite saddened to read in NJ Advance Media this morning, Dec 20th, that a News Helicopter from 6ABC in Philadelphia crashed last night in a remote section of Wharton State Forest in New Jersey leaving two dead. My prayers go out to the families of the deceased, their colleagues at 6ABC and all who love them. I understand that the New Jersey Forest Fire Service is assisting at the scene of the crash. According to the report from NJ Advance Media the helicopter crash near Quaker Bridge Atison Road and Mullica River Road in a remote section of Wharton State Forest.

The NJFFS Section B10 Website shared two videos in their daily video postings about the crash, my thanks to my friends at the NJFFS Section B10 for the links to these videos that I am embedding here to share with you.

Direct link to video from Fox43 on YouTube

Direct link to video from 6ABC on YouTube

Three firefighters dead in mid-air collision over Cabazon Fire in Riverside County, CA

I am very saddened to learn of the mid-air collision of two helicopters over the Cabazon Brush Fire in Riverside California early in the evening of August 6th. I learned of this mid-air collision from my friends at NJ Forest Fire Service Section B10 who post wildfire videos each day. According to the KCAL News video report that I embedded, three occupants on board a contract Bell Helicopter that was reported to be doing observation over the fire died, names have not been released: CAL Fire Division Chief, CAL Fire Air Captain, and the pilot of the Bell. The other helicopter involved in the mid-air is a Sikorsky SkyCrane that may have been dropping water on the fire, the SkyCrane landed and the two occupants survived. A report from CBS News in Los Angeles (with the video I embedded) may be found here. In addition, you will want to check out Fire Aviation's coverage of the mid-air posted on August 7th.

I offer my prayers to the families, colleagues, friend, CAL Fire, and all who loved those who died in the crash, may they always fly in favorable winds. I also offer my prayers for the two occupants of the Sikorsky SkyCrane who survived the crash.

Direct link to video from KCAL News on YouTube

Croman Sikorsky helicopter fatal crash in Hawaii

Obtained on February 25th from Croman Corp's February 23rd Facebook Post

I am a day or so late in posting that on Tuesday, February 23rd a Croman Sikorsky S-61N helicopter on contract with the US Navy crashed at the Pacific Missile Range Facility while doing training exercises. All four occupants were killed. See this article on the Navy Times for a short write up about the crash. 

I would like to thank Bill Gabbert who wrote about this on his Fire Aviation site on February 23rd. I learned of the crash while reading Fire Aviation earlier this morning. Bill's write up is, as always excellent, and you will want to read his article for his in-depth coverage of the crash. According to Bill, Croman had contracts with the U.S. Forest Service in 2020 for five type 1 helicopters.

The deceased are:

• Daniel Lyle, 64, Chief Pilot
• Patrick Radar, 55, Pilot in Command
• Erika Tevez-Valdez, 42, Mechanic
• Matthew Haider, 44, Mechanic

I offer my heartfelt condolances and prayers to the family, colleagues at Croman, and all who loved Daniel, Patrick, Erika, and Matthew. May you rest in peace and fly and always fly in favorable winds.

Blackhawk UH-60 helicopter crash (May 25th) Leesburg FL

It is with great sadness that I somewhat belatedly write about the fatal crash of a Blackhawk UH-60 on May 25, 2021 in Leesburg FL. All four people on board died in the crash. According to this May 26th NPR report, the helicopter was owned by Leesburg based Brainerd Helicopters. She was on a training mission when she went down. Flags in Florida were lowered to half mast in honor of those who died in the crash. 

My heartfelt condolences go out to the family, friends, and all who loved the crew. My condolences to all at Brainerd. I know that the Blackhawk and crew are flying in favorable winds. 

RIP: two dead in March 30th crash of USFS contracted Bell 206L-1

A Bell 206 L-1 Helicopter crashed on Monday afternoon March 30th while working an 800-acre prescribed burn 25 miles west of Biloxi, Mississippi. The crew of the Bell was performing aerial ignition operations on the prescribed fire in the DeSoto National Forest when the crash occurred. The Bell had one pilot and additional crew of two US Forest Service firefighters. Two died and one crew survived. The surviving crew member was flown by a Life Flight Helicopter to a Medical Center in Mobile, Alabama where is currently in serious condition. See Always Remember (includes links to media reports and other information) for more information.

Gone but not forgotten are:

Brandon Ricks, pilot, 40 years old from Blanchard, OK.

Steven W. Cobb, US Forest Service Engineering Technician, 55 years old from Wiggins, MS.

Brandon and Steven, I know that you are loved by your family, friends, and colleagues who miss you and mourn your loss. Please know that many of us who don’t know you join them in mourning your loss.  May you always fly in favorable tail winds. My thoughts and prayers are with your family, friends, colleagues and all who love you.

My thoughts and prayers are with the surviving crew member and his family and friends as he continues to recover from the injuries he sustained in the crash.

Type 2 Initial Attack Wildfire Crew - Alaska Delta 2 (2008)

Here is a nice video of a Type 2 Initial Attack from Alaska, Delta Type 2 Intial Attack Crew 1, fighting fires in Alaska in 2008. Included in this eight minute video is a short tribute to those who died at the Iron Mountain Complex.


direct link to video

________________________

Bill Gabbert of Wildfire Today has written extensively about the crash of the Carson Helicopter at the Iron Mountain Complex that killed 7 firefighters, the pilot-in-command and a USFS check pilot here. Two former Carson employees pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the crash (see Bill Gabbert's Nov. 24 2014 post.

Nine lost on Iron 44 Helo crash five years ago . . .

Five years ago today we lost nine in a helo crash on the Iron 44 incident

Roark Schwanenberg
Jim Ramage
Scott Charlson
Shawn Blazer
Matthew Hammer
David Steele
Edrik Gomez
Steven Renno
Bryan Rich


direct link to video

Always Remember page on Iron 44

I won't forget you. . .

Iron 44 Crash - Sikorsky S-61N (August 5, 2008)

direct link to video

On August 5, 2008 a Carson Helicopters Sikorsky S-61N then under contract with the U.S. Forest Service crashed on take-off, nine of thirteen on board were killed. The accident helicopter was working a fire near the Iron Complex in a remote area of the Trinity Alps Wilderness Area of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest northwest of Redding CA. She had already made two trips transporting wildland firefighting crews to safe locations. At about 7:30 PM, the S-61N helo had picked up a third load of firefighters and was on her  initial takeoff climb after departure when the main rotor assembly lost power and crashed. 

The nine who died that day are:

Jim Ramage, 64, from Redding, CA -- USFS Inspector Pilot, Shasta Trinity National Forest

Roark Schwanenberg, 54, from Lostine, Oregon -- Pilot, Carson Helicopters

From Grayback Forestry (7 employees)

Shawn Blazer, 30, from Medford, Oregon

Scott Charlson, 25, from Phoenix, Oregon

Edrik Gomez, 19, from Ashland, Oregon

Matt Hammer, 23, from Grants Pass, Oregon

Steven Caleb Renno, 21, from Cave Junction, Oregon

Bryan Rich, 29, from Medford, Oregon

David Steele, 19, from Ashland, Oregon

After the crash the USFS cancelled its contract with Carson Helicopters. 

In the latest of a series of legal actions resulting from the Iron 44 crash, two former employees of Carson Helicopters were indicted on Feb. 4, 2013 of criminal charges stemming from an alleged conspiracy to defraud the US Forest Service. These charges carry up to 20 years in prison. According to a Feb. 4 article from Oregon Live (Feb. 4th Oregon Live article) the men are accused of

"falsifying the weight and takeoff power of the helicopter that crash and other helicopters that were a part of a 'call-when-needed' contract worth up to $20 million to Carson Helicopters."

According to the indictment, these falsified weight and takeoff power charts were then included in the charts used by flight crews and pilots in aerial firefighting missions. The Feb. 4th Oregon Live article includes a brief synopsis of prior legal actions stemming from the Iron 44 crash. You might also want to check out a report from KVAL (with photos and a video clip) on the indictment along with a brief review of the crash and prior legal actions.

Other sources of information

Always Remember on Iron 44 Sikorsky S-61N crash that including but not limited to links to the NTSB reports and dockets, memorials of those who died in the crash, maps of the crash scene, and links to some media coverage.

Oregon Live articles on the Iron 44 crash.

Bill Gabbert of Wildfire Today has covered the Iron 44 crash and recently wrote about the indictment of the former Carson employees here.

Fatal Bell 212 Helicopter Crash - Slave Lake Fire

While checking my e-mail this morning, I read the very sad news of the crash of a Bell 212 helicopter while fighting the Slave Lake Fire in Alberta, the pilot and only occupant died in the crash.I went online and found this article from the CBC. Then I saw Bill Gabbert's (Wildfire Today) article onthe crash here.

I offer my condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of the pilot.

In rememberance - six die in crash of firefighting helo in Spain

I first heard about the crash of a firefighting helo in Spain, killing six on board, last week from wildfire today. I wanted a little more information before posting a remembrance so I reached out to a Spanish speaking friend who has spent time in Spain. She found an article on the crash in english from El Pais.

The Bell 407 helo crashed into a hillside on March 19 in a remote region of Aragon Spain. There was no bad weather and visibility was good. The crash is under investigation.

According to El Pais, the following firefighters died in the crash:

Ramón Millán Salafranca, 24
Angus Thompson Caminals, 35
Albert B., 38 (pilot)
Rafael A. O., 40
Esteban Javier Galve B. O.
Francisco Javier Galve B. O.

A seventh firefighter, Ángel Aznar (32) survived the crash and was hospitalized with critical injuries.

My condolences go out to the family, friends, colleagues and all those who loved those who died. I pray for Ángel and his family. And for the sad Bell 407. . .

For the people of Spain, I join you as you grieve this tragedy.

May you fly in favorable tail winds.