Two Killed in Yosemite Firefighting Helicopter Crash

Two members of FlyPrecision's crew were killed Sunday when a Eurocopter AS332 helicopter crashed in Mariposa County near Yosemite National Park's Dome Fire while conducting water bucket drops. The FAA said the aircraft went down around 2:55 p.m. under unknown circumstances with a passenger and a flight crew member aboard. FlyPrecision said it was devastated by the loss of two beloved team members and asked for privacy and compassion for their families and the team. The Dome Fire began September 15 near Wawona, has burned more than 3,000 acres and is about 15% contained, with no evacuation orders and more than 500 firefighting personnel assigned. Remote terrain means crews rely on hand tools and aerial support rather than bulldozers or fire trucks. U.S. National Forest Service spokesperson Jay C. Nichols told SFGate that part of the fire is burning in areas scorched by the 2017 Empire Fire, where snag trees raise hazards for firefighters. Hindustan Times, citing wildfire management officials, said the helicopter was operated by Price Valley Helitack of Idaho and carried no firefighting personnel, conflicting with FlyPrecision's confirmation that two of its team died. The NTSB will lead the investigation with FAA assistance. The cause remains unknown.