What Happened
Fatal Helicopter Accident Occurs While Fighting Utah Wildfire
A Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane helicopter crashed while fighting a wildfire in central Utah, killing two pilots on board. The helicopter, operated by Helicopter Transport Services under a contract with the US Forest Service, went down on August 7, 2026, while supporting crews battling the Widemouth 2 Fire. The accident started a separate fire near the wreckage, and steep terrain and the active wildfire initially prevented emergency crews from reaching the helicopter. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators arrived in Utah but were unable to reach the wreckage due to wildfire conditions. This incident was first reported by AeroTime.