Two aerial firefighting pilots were killed last week when their helicopter crashed while battling a wildfire in central Utah.
On Friday, August 7, Christopher Andersen, 64, and Miles Elliott, 50, died when their Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane went down in rugged terrain near Three Creeks Reservoir, while supporting crews fighting the Widemouth 2 Fire in the Fishlake National Forest. Andersen was the chief pilot. Both worked for Helicopter Transport Services under contract with the U.S. Forest Service.
The helicopter crashed under unknown circumstances shortly after 10:30 a.m. The crash sparked a separate fire, which, along with steep terrain, kept crews from reaching the wreckage until the next day. The NTSB and FAA are investigating.
Rest in peace, Christopher Andersen and Miles Elliott