Firefighting Helicopter Crashes in Yosemite While Battling California’s Dome Fire, 2 Pilots Killed

Two pilots were killed when a contract firefighting helicopter crashed while carrying out water-drop operations on the Dome Fire in California’s Yosemite National Park, authorities said. The crash occurred Sunday afternoon in Mariposa County as the aircraft was supporting crews battling the wildfire. The helicopter went down at about 2:55 p.m. local time near the southeast side of Ostrander Lake. Officials said it was conducting a water-bucket operation and was actively dropping water on the fire when the crash occurred.

Both people aboard the helicopter died. One of the pilots was identified as Greg King, who had previously worked with the Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection and had extensive experience supporting wildland firefighting operations. The identity of the second pilot has not been released as authorities continue notifying relatives. The aircraft was operated by Precision, a private contractor involved in wildfire response. The company confirmed the deaths of two members of its team and expressed condolences to their families. Los Angeles Helicopter Crash Videos: NBC News Chopper Crashes While Covering Deadly Bus Accident in Chatsworth.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash. Authorities have not yet determined what caused the helicopter to go down. The helicopter was a Super Puma-type aircraft used for heavy-lift firefighting operations. No other firefighters were reported to be aboard at the time of the crash.

The crash comes as firefighters continue battling the Dome Fire, which was first reported on September 15 near Chilnualna Falls in the Wawona area of Yosemite National Park. As of Monday, the Dome Fire had burned roughly 3,388 acres and was about 15 per cent contained, according to reports citing fire authorities. Around 580 personnel were involved in firefighting efforts. Pakistan Helicopter Crash: Pakistani Army MI-17 Helicopter Crashes in Pak-Administered Kashmir Due to Technical Fault, Killing All Military Personnel on Board.

The fire has led to trail and backcountry closures in parts of Yosemite, although the national park remains open. Firefighters are working in rugged and mountainous terrain, complicating suppression operations. The deaths also add to the toll among wildfire personnel in the United States this year. Reuters reported that the two fatalities bring to five the number of helicopter pilots killed in wildfire-fighting crashes in California, Utah and Colorado in 2026. The investigation into Sunday's crash is continuing, and officials have not released any findings about the circumstances that led to the accident.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 22, 2026 07:58 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).