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3 Killed When Helicopters Collide in Southern California

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the midair collision of two firefighter helicopters in California that killed three people on Sunday.

The incident took place near Cabazon, California [Adobe Stock]
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Key Takeaways:

  • A midair collision between two firefighter helicopters in California on Sunday resulted in the deaths of three crew members.
  • The incident occurred during a six-helicopter response to a brush fire in Cabazon, Riverside County.
  • The three fatalities included a contract pilot, a CAL FIRE chief, and a CAL FIRE captain, who were aboard the Bell observation helicopter.
  • The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and FAA are investigating the collision.
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The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the midair collision of two firefighter helicopters in California that killed three people on Sunday.

According to multiple media sources, the two helicopters, a Bell and a Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane, were part of a six ship response to a fire in Cabazon, a small community in Riverside County approximately 90 miles east of Los Angeles. The initial fire call was for a structure fire, but it quickly spread to the dry grass and scrub brush nearby.

Meg Godlewski

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.

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