Air tanker makes forced landing in British Columbia

Air Tractor 802 Fire Boss
File photo of an Air Tractor 802 Fire Boss operated by Conair. Not necessarily the aircraft involved in the incident.

A single engine amphibious air tanker made a forced landing Tuesday while working on a wildfire in British Columbia.

“This evening a Conair 802 Air Tractor Fireboss Skimmer aircraft experienced an engine failure during operations on the Connell Ridge Wildfire, near Cranbrook,” said BC Wildfire Service Executive Director Ian Meier. “The pilot conducted a successful forced landing and was transported to receive medical assessment. Our thoughts are with the pilot involved in this incident as well as their family, friends and colleagues. The BC Wildfire Service is providing all possible assistance to the pilot and Conair.”

Jeff Berry, Director of Business Development with Conair Aerial Firefighting confirmed the pilot was able to walk away unharmed from the aircraft to a helicopter and was transported to Cranbrook for assessment by paramedics.

“His skill and training as an aerial firefighting pilot under challenging circumstances enabled him to execute an exceptional emergency maneuver resulting in a safe outcome,” said Berry. “He was faced with a problem with the engine, he went through his emergency procedures, and put the aircraft down in such a way that he was able to walk away unharmed. Faced with a difficult bunch of decisions in a very, very short period, he did exceptionally well.”

The Connell Ridge Fire 14 miles south Cranbrook, BC has burned approximately 1,235 acres  (500 hectares) since it was discovered August 1, 2022.

Connell Ridge Fire map, August 3, 2022 forced landing air tanker
Connell Ridge Fire map, August 3, 2022

Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Mike.

Forest Service confirms firefighters swam to extract pilots from helicopter that crashed into river

N388RZ Boeing CH-47D crash
N388RA Boeing CH-47D preparing to take off at Penticton Airport in British Columbia July 16, 2022. Image from VMC Aviation Videos. The helicopter crashed into the Salmon River July 21, 2022.

Today the US Forest Service confirmed reports that when the Boeing CH-47D helicopter crashed into the Salmon River July 21, 2022 while working on the Moose Fire in Idaho, firefighters swam across the river to extract and care for the two pilots. Unfortunately, both of the pilots died from their injuries.

Four teams from the FS are investigating the incident. In addition, the agency is providing Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM), clinician, and peer support to affected individuals. The National Transportation Safety Board is conducting an investigation to determine the cause of the crash.

The official “72-Hour Report” is below.

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Interim report released about helicopter crash at Idaho’s Moose Fire

N388RZ Boeing CH-47D at Penticton Airport
N388RA Boeing CH-47D preparing to take off at Penticton Airport in British Columbia July 16, 2022. Image from VMC Aviation Videos.

The US Forest Service has released a brief initial report about the July 21 crash of the Boeing CH-47D helicopter in the Salmon River while working on the Moose Fire 20 air miles northwest of Salmon, Idaho. The two pilots were killed.

Below is the complete text of the narrative section of the document which was dated July 22, 2022, but was not posted on the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned site until today around noon.

On Thursday, July 20, a call when needed CH-47D Series Chinook Helicopter crashed into the Salmon River, adjacent to the Indianola Work Center approximately 11 miles west of North Fork, Idaho on the Moose Fire. The aircraft sustained severe damage, the pilots were extracted and transported to hospitals but both sustained fatal injuries. The NTSB has been notified and will be conducting an accident investigation. The USDA Forest Service has assigned a learning review team.

The pilots, the only personnel on board, were Thomas Hayes, 41, of Post Falls, Idaho, and Jared Bird, 36, of Anchorage, Alaska.

The helicopter was operated by Anchorage-based ROTAK Helicopter Services.

The FAA confirms that the registration number of the helicopter is N388RA, which is one of two CH-47D ships ROTAK recently purchased from Columbia Helicopters.

area where the CH-47D crashed July 21, 2022
The general area where the CH-47D crashed July 21, 2022. Google Earth. The red shading represents an area burned in the Moose Fire.

There are unconfirmed reports that a hotshot crew was nearby when it crashed and they went into the Salmon River and extricated the pilots in an attempt to save them.

The last time Flight Aware tracked N388FA was at 3:02 p.m. MDT July 21. Because of the rugged terrain, it first showed it north of the Salmon Airport. Then it went northwest generally toward the Moose Fire and lost tracking at 3:12 p.m., minutes before it reached the river.

As an example of the terrain here is a photo of the Comet Fire I took a few years ago from Highway 93 just east of the current Moose Fire, 13 air miles north of Salmon, ID. The Salmon River is in the foreground.

Comet Fire, July 28, 2016
Comet Fire, July 28, 2016. Photo by Bill Gabbert.

The video below was shot at Penticton Airport in British Columbia July 16, 2022 when it stopped for fuel en route from Alaska to Idaho.

The GoFundMe fundraisers for the two pilots can be found through the following links:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-jared-birds-family-moose-fire-crash

https://www.gofundme.com/f/thomas-tommy-hayes-moose-fire-crash

Brief initial report released about the Chinook crash into Salmon River

N388RZ Boeing CH-47D crash
N388RA Boeing CH-47D at Penticton Airport in British Columbia July 16, 2022. Image from VMC Aviation Videos. It had stopped for fuel on the way from Alaska to Idaho.

The US Forest Service has released a brief initial report about the July 21 crash of the Boeing CH-47D helicopter in the Salmon River while working on the Moose Fire 20 air miles northwest of Salmon, Idaho. The two pilots were killed.

Below is the complete text of the narrative section of the document which was dated July 22, 2022, but was not posted on the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned site until today around noon.

On Thursday, July 21, a call when needed CH-47D Series Chinook Helicopter crashed into the Salmon River, adjacent to the Indianola Work Center approximately 11 miles west of North Fork, Idaho on the Moose Fire. The aircraft sustained severe damage, the pilots were extracted and transported to hospitals but both sustained fatal injuries. The NTSB has been notified and will be conducting an accident investigation. The USDA Forest Service has assigned a learning review team.

The pilots, the only personnel on board, were Thomas Hayes, 41, of Post Falls, Idaho, and Jared Bird, 36, of Anchorage, Alaska.

The helicopter was operated by Anchorage-based ROTAK Helicopter Services.

The FAA confirms that the registration number of the helicopter is N388RA, which is one of two CH-47D ships ROTAK recently purchased from Columbia Helicopters.

where the CH-47 crashed July 21, 2022
The general area where the CH-47D crashed July 21, 2022. Google Earth. The red shading represents the approximate area Moose Fire, but the portion of the fire at the bottom of the image is cut off.

There are unconfirmed reports that a hotshot crew was nearby when it crashed and they went into the Salmon River and extricated the pilots in an attempt to save them.

The last time Flight Aware tracked N388FA was at 3:02 p.m. MDT July 21. Because of the rugged terrain, it first showed it north of the Salmon Airport. Then it went northwest generally toward the Moose Fire and lost tracking at 3:12 p.m. before it reached the river.

As an example of the terrain here is a photo of the Comet Fire I took a few years ago from Highway 93 just east of the current Moose Fire, 13 air miles north of Salmon, ID. The Salmon River is in the foreground.

Comet Fire, July 28, 2016
Comet Fire, July 28, 2016. Photo by Bill Gabbert.

The video below was shot at Penticton Airport in British Columbia July 16, 2022 when it stopped for fuel en route from Alaska to Idaho.

The GoFundMe fundraisers for the two pilots can be found through the following links:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-jared-birds-family-moose-fire-crash

https://www.gofundme.com/f/thomas-tommy-hayes-moose-fire-crash

Helicopter crashes into Salmon River while working on Moose Fire

Updated 3:56 p.m. MDT July 22, 2022

More information is available about the helicopter crash in Idaho.

Both pilots have died, the U.S. Forest Service said on Friday.

Mary Cernicek with the Salmon-Challis National Forest said Thomas Hayes, 41, of Post Falls, Idaho, and Jared Bird, 36, of Anchorage, Alaska, died from injuries they sustained when their CH-47D Series Chinook crashed in the Salmon River about 3:30 p.m. Thursday.

The pilots were employees of the Anchorage-based ROTAK Helicopter Services and were working on the Moose Fire northwest of Salmon, Idaho.

7:52 a.m. MDT July 22, 2022

CH-47D
CH-47D. ROTAK photo.

Thursday afternoon a CH-47D Chinook helicopter operated by ROTAK Helicopter Services crashed into the Salmon River while working on the Moose Fire northwest of Salmon, Idaho. The US Forest Service reported Friday morning there were two fatalities.

The company released a brief statement Thursday evening.

It is with heavy hearts that we confirm that on July 21, 2022, at approximately 3:30 p.m. a CH-47D series “Chinook” helicopter operated by ROTAK Helicopter Service with two pilots on board was involved in an accident near Salmon, Idaho. Emergency medical teams are responding to the scene. ROTAK is working closely with all appropriate agencies and will issue a full statement as information is confirmed.

We send out our sincere condolences to the families, friends, and co-workers of the two that were killed.

Growth of the fire
The Moose Fire grew incrementally on Friday, showing growth on all sides, primarily south of the Salmon River on the west and east sides. Very little growth occurred north of the river.

A mapping flight Thursday night determined it had burned 23,620 acres, an increase of nearly 3,000 acres. Much of that difference was due to an overnight change in procedure, a decision to not consider in the acreage the unburned islands in the interior. Previously the size of those islands had been subtracted from the total exterior perimeter.

Moose Fire map 10:38 p.m. July 21, 2022
Moose Fire map. The red line was the perimeter at 10:38 p.m. July 21, 2022. The white line was the perimeter about 24 hours previously.

Weather
The forecast for Friday afternoon is for increasing winds, gusting out of the west and then northwest at 31 mph with the relative humidity in the mid-teens. After sunset the wind will drop to about 6 mph out of the north. Saturday should bring 5 to 8 mph winds out of the south shifting to the north, with 13 percent relative humidity.

Firefighters expect the weather on Friday could lead to spread south of the Salmon River west towards Spring Creek, east towards North Fork, and spotting to the north side of the river.

Resources
Resources assigned to the fire Thursday evening included 18 hand crews, 25 fire engines, and 7 helicopters for a total of 517 personnel, a 24-hour increase of 141 individuals.

Structures
There are no reports of structures burning, but 301 are threatened. Evacuation information is available at the Lemhi County website.

Chinook helicopter working on Moose Fire crashes into river in Idaho

ROTAK Helicopter Services

Updated 3:54 p.m. MDT July 22, 2022

Both pilots of a firefighting helicopter that crashed in Idaho have died, the U.S. Forest Service said on Friday.

Mary Cernicek with the Salmon-Challis National Forest said Thomas Hayes, 41, of Post Falls, Idaho, and Jared Bird, 36, of Anchorage, Alaska, died from injuries they sustained when their CH-47D Series Chinook crashed in the Salmon River about 3:30 p.m. Thursday.

The pilots were employees of the Anchorage-based ROTAK Helicopter Services and were working on the Moose Fire northwest of Salmon, Idaho.

We send out our sincere condolences to the families, friends, and co-workers of the two men.

12:05 a.m. MDT July 22, 2022

A CH-47D Chinook helicopter operated by ROTAK Helicopter Services crashed into the Salmon River Thursday July 21 while working on the Moose Fire northwest of Salmon, Idaho.

The company released a brief statement Thursday.

It is with heavy hearts that we confirm that on July 21, 2022, at approximately 3:30 p.m. a CH-47D series “Chinook” helicopter operated by ROTAK Helicopter Service with two pilots on board was involved in an accident near Salmon, Idaho. Emergency medical teams are responding to the scene. ROTAK is working closely with all appropriate agencies and will issue a full statement as information is confirmed.

A spokeswoman with the U.S. Forest Service said an incident management team is handling the crash but further details were not released, including the condition of the pilots.

A few weeks ago ROTAK purchased two former US Army CH-47D Chinooks from Oregon’s Columbia Helicopters for use in firefighting and line maintenance. ROTAK also operates K-MAX helicopters

The Moose Fire has burned more than 20,000 acres in the Salmon-Challis National Forest 12 air miles northwest of Salmon, Idaho. It is burning in steep terrain on both sides of the Salmon River west of North Fork and Highway 93.

Moose Fire map
Moose Fire map, 3-D, looking east at 9:56 p.m. July 20, 2022.

Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Tom and Gerald.

Names released of four first responders killed in New Mexico helicopter crash

The four first responders that died Saturday July 16 when a Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office helicopter crashed northeast of Albuquerque, New Mexico have been identified: Undersheriff Larry Koren, Lieutenant Fred Beers, Deputy Michael Levison, and Rescue Specialist Matthew King. They were the only personnel on board.

All worked for the Sheriff’s Department except for Mr. King who was with the Bernalillo County Fire Department.

The Sheriff’s Department said in a news release July 17 that the “Metro 2” helicopter and its crew were assisting with the East Mesa Fire, providing bucket drops and other air logistics needs to fire crews on the ground.

Bernalillo County Sheriff's Dept. Metro 2
File photo of Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Dept. Metro 2. BCSO photo

The helicopter, a Bell UH-1H Huey, N911SZ, was destroyed.

Our sincere condolences go out to the families, friends, and co-workers of these men.

Personnel killed in New Mexico helicopter crash identified

Lower North Fork fire, 4:00 p.m, 3-26-2012
Lower North Fork fire, 4:00 p.m, 3-26-2012. Photo provided by Jefferson County Sheriffs Office

The four first responders that died Saturday July 16 when a Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office helicopter crashed northeast of Albuquerque, New Mexico have been identified: Undersheriff Larry Koren, Lieutenant Fred Beers, Deputy Michael Levison, and Rescue Specialist Matthew King.

They all worked for the Sheriff’s Department except for Mr. King who was with the Bernalillo County Fire Department.

The Sheriff’s Department said in a news release July 17 that the “Metro 2” helicopter and its crew were assisting with a wildfire in the area, providing bucket drops and other air logistics needs to fire crews on the ground.

The helicopter, a Bell UH-1H Huey, N911SZ, was destroyed.

More information about the flight is in our first article about the incident.

Helicopter crash kills four while working a wildfire in New Mexico

Bernalillo County Sheriff's Dept. helicopter crash New Mexico
File photo of Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Dept. helicopter, Metro 2, Feb. 17, 2009. BCSO photo.

A law enforcement helicopter assisting firefighters on a wildfire in New Mexico crashed Saturday July 16, killing the four personnel on board.

“Preliminary information indicates that three Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) personnel and one Bernalillo County Fire employee were onboard at the time of the crash,” the Sheriff’s Department said in a statement at 12:26 a.m. Sunday. “There are no known survivors. These personnel were headed back to Albuquerque after assisting fire crews with the East Mesa Fire. Representatives from BCSO are on scene along with the New Mexico State Police. At this time the investigation into this incident is in its preliminary stages.”

Preliminary information available soon after an aircraft crash, even if from very reputable sources, is rarely 100 percent accurate. The NTSB will investigate this incident and within a year or so will release a final report.

The helicopter was a Bell UH-1H Huey, N911SZ, serial number 70-16431.

KRQE reported that “BCSO has frequently used its helicopter to provide aerial firefighting and other assistance across New Mexico, particularly this fire season. In the past several days, BCSO used the Metro 2 helicopter to fight a small fire in the East Mountains near Albuquerque, and the Atalaya Fire near Santa Fe.”

The last flight of the helicopter recorded on FlightAware showed that at 1:53 p.m. MDT on July 16 it departed Double Eagle II Airport seven miles northwest of the central business district of Albuquerque then flew east for the next 39 minutes in the general direction of the East Mesa Fire. The aircraft was last recorded in a very remote location 25 miles east-northeast of Albuquerque, 6 miles southwest of Las Vegas, NM at 2:32 p.m. MDT. That was 27 miles west of the fire at an elevation of approximately 7,300 according to FlightAware’s flight data and Google Earth’s topographic data. The aircraft had been slowly descending from 7,640′ for the previous three minutes.

(UPDATE at 3:15 p.m. July 18, 2022: The Sheriff’s office released information today indicating that there were other Metro 2 flights on July 16 not recorded by FlightAware, including water bucket drops on the East Mesa Fire. Its final flight, the Sheriff’s Office said, originated from the Las Vegas, NM airport at 6:36 p.m. en route to Double Eagle II airport. The helicopter’s last known location was “just south of Las Vegas, NM” at 7:18 p.m.)

A UH-1H pilot was killed in Australia February 14, 2022 when the helicopter crashed while working on a bush fire southeast of Pipers Brook, Tasmania.

We send out our sincere condolences to the families, friends, and co-workers of the four personnel who were killed Saturday.

The article was edited to show that upon leaving the Double Eagle II Airport the helicopter flew east, not west.

Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Tom, Maurice, Jim, and Gerald.