Two Single Engine Air Tankers at the Ross Fire in Idaho, August, 2022. Still image from Airailimages video.
Fred Johnsen of Airailimages sent us information about a video he shot in Idaho at the Pocatello Airport and at the nearby Ross Fire. The video is below, just after Fred’s description.
“A wildfire burned over 6,300 acres on the Shoshone-Bannock Fort Hall Indian Reservation northeast of Pocatello, Idaho. Visible in the night sky on August 9, 2022, the Ross Fork fire was still active the following day as the Fort Hall Fire Department battled the flames on the ground, assisted by aerial firefighting assets staging out of the Pocatello airport. A number of Fort Hall reservation residents were evacuated to the Shoshone-Bannock hotel while the fire was brought under control. Aircraft fighting the Ross Fork fire included an Erickson MD-87 jet airliner tanker, an RJ85 jet tanker, several turboprop Single Engine Air Tankers (SEATs) and bucket-wielding helicopters. A turbo Commander served as an air attack coordination aircraft over the fire scene.”
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.
[pdf-embedder url=”https://fireaviation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/USFS-72-Hour-Report_Moose_2022_Final_072822-copy.pdf” title=”USFS 72 Hour Report Moose fire helicopter crash”]
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.
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. 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.
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.
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. 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.
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. 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. 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.
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, 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.
Lead plane and MAFFS during annual training in Idaho, April, 2020. Still image from Airailimages video.
Last week, April 25-29, military C-130s and lead planes converged in Boise for the annual Modular Airborne Firefighting System (MAFFS) training. The US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, other federal wildland fire agencies, and CAL FIRE organized the event.
Frederick A. Johnsen, Publisher of Airailimages, was there and sent us this video.
