What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 08/06/2023 (08/07/2023 UTC) a Bell 407 helicopter and CH-54A helicopter separately departed the cal fire base located in hemet, CA engaged in fire support activities being operated in the vicinity of Cabazon, CA is visual meteorological conditions. Around approximately 16:42 local time, the Bell 407 collided with the right main tire of the CH-54A at approximately 2,300' MSL while in the course of overtaking the larger helicopter from behind and below while eastbound. It is unknown if the overtaking pilot ever had the other helicopter in sight or was aware of its presence. Evidence suggests that at least one of the Bell 407'S main rotors struck the CH-54A'S right main tire, resulting in the partial inflight breakup of and loss of control of the Bell 407. That helicopter then appeared to fall and impact the ground in an area of elevated terrain, before it tumbled down graded terrain and came to rest in a debris field at the base of the hill. This sequence of events resulted in the deaths of the pilot and two passengers onboard as well as a brushfire at the impact site. Firefighters responded to the site and engaged in necessary fire extinguishing activity before being able to secure that site for recovery. The CH-54A aircraft circled north after the collision and landed next to a service dirt road north and west of the Bell 407 impact site. The two pilots onboard the CH-54A reported no injuries and observed damage to the helicopter of a flat right main tire. Subsequent inspection discovered no additional damge to the CH-54A. Investigation has established that cal fire uses and was using procedures to separate aircraft participating in firefighting activities, but no determination as to whether those procedures, their execution, or pilot actions in accordance or difference to those procedures, contributed to the accident has yet been established by NTSB investigation. Should the NTSB find that cal fire aircraft separation procedures, procedure execution by other participants, or pilot execution of those procedures had contributed to this accident, this report would then require amendment for pilot error or other than pilot/flt crew factors.
As the FAA filed it
ON 08/06/2023 (08/07/2023 UTC) A BELL 407 HELICOPTER AND CH-54A HELICOPTER SEPARATELY DEPARTED THE CAL FIRE BASE LOCATED IN HEMET, CA ENGAGED IN FIRE SUPPORT ACTIVITIES BEING OPERATED IN THE VICINITY OF CABAZON, CA IS VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. AROUND APPROXIMATELY 16:42 LOCAL TIME, THE BELL 407 COLLIDED WITH THE RIGHT MAIN TIRE OF THE CH-54A AT APPROXIMATELY 2,300' MSL WHILE IN THE COURSE OF OVERTAKING THE LARGER HELICOPTER FROM BEHIND AND BELOW WHILE EASTBOUND. IT IS UNKNOWN IF THE OVERTAKING PILOT EVER HAD THE OTHER HELICOPTER IN SIGHT OR WAS AWARE OF ITS PRESENCE. EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT AT LEAST ONE OF THE BELL 407'S MAIN ROTORS STRUCK THE CH-54A'S RIGHT MAIN TIRE, RESULTING IN THE PARTIAL INFLIGHT BREAKUP OF AND LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE BELL 407. THAT HELICOPTER THEN APPEARED TO FALL AND IMPACT THE GROUND IN AN AREA OF ELEVATED TERRAIN, BEFORE IT TUMBLED DOWN GRADED TERRAIN AND CAME TO REST IN A DEBRIS FIELD AT THE BASE OF THE HILL. THIS SEQUENCE OF EVENTS RESULTED IN THE DEATHS OF THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS ONBOARD AS WELL AS A BRUSHFIRE AT THE IMPACT SITE. FIREFIGHTERS RESPONDED TO THE SITE AND ENGAGED IN NECESSARY FIRE EXTINGUISHING ACTIVITY BEFORE BEING ABLE TO SECURE THAT SITE FOR RECOVERY. THE CH-54A AIRCRAFT CIRCLED NORTH AFTER THE COLLISION AND LANDED NEXT TO A SERVICE DIRT ROAD NORTH AND WEST OF THE BELL 407 IMPACT SITE. THE TWO PILOTS ONBOARD THE CH-54A REPORTED NO INJURIES AND OBSERVED DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER OF A FLAT RIGHT MAIN TIRE. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION DISCOVERED NO ADDITIONAL DAMGE TO THE CH-54A. INVESTIGATION HAS ESTABLISHED THAT CAL FIRE USES AND WAS USING PROCEDURES TO SEPARATE AIRCRAFT PARTICIPATING IN FIREFIGHTING ACTIVITIES, BUT NO DETERMINATION AS TO WHETHER THOSE PROCEDURES, THEIR EXECUTION, OR PILOT ACTIONS IN ACCORDANCE OR DIFFERENCE TO THOSE PROCEDURES, CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT HAS YET BEEN ESTABLISHED BY NTSB INVESTIGATION. SHOULD THE NTSB FIND THAT CAL FIRE AIRCRAFT SEPARATION PROCEDURES, PROCEDURE EXECUTION BY OTHER PARTICIPANTS, OR PILOT EXECUTION OF THOSE PROCEDURES HAD CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ACCIDENT, THIS REPORT WOULD THEN REQUIRE AMENDMENT FOR PILOT ERROR OR OTHER THAN PILOT/FLT CREW FACTORS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other aircraft in the event · 1
Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.