What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 22nd 2025 a k-max helicopter that was participating in firefighting operations approached a position above a pond to fill up the external bucket. Pilot stated the aircraft rolled nose first into the pod and pilot exited the crashed aircraft with minor injuries. Pilot reported that there were no issues with the aircraft and crashed was caused potentially from the downward force from a nearby sky crane aircraft. Neither radar or ADS-B data could confirm a sky crane in the vicinity of the k-max at the time of the accident. Aircraft has not been recovered due to forest service combating the fire in the area. Awaiting timeframe on recovery from forest service poc.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 22ND 2025 A K-MAX HELICOPTER THAT WAS PARTICIPATING IN FIREFIGHTING OPERATIONS APPROACHED A POSITION ABOVE A POND TO FILL UP THE EXTERNAL BUCKET. PILOT STATED THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED NOSE FIRST INTO THE POD AND PILOT EXITED THE CRASHED AIRCRAFT WITH MINOR INJURIES. PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO ISSUES WITH THE AIRCRAFT AND CRASHED WAS CAUSED POTENTIALLY FROM THE DOWNWARD FORCE FROM A NEARBY SKY CRANE AIRCRAFT. NEITHER RADAR OR ADS-B DATA COULD CONFIRM A SKY CRANE IN THE VICINITY OF THE K-MAX AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. AIRCRAFT HAS NOT BEEN RECOVERED DUE TO FOREST SERVICE COMBATING THE FIRE IN THE AREA. AWAITING TIMEFRAME ON RECOVERY FROM FOREST SERVICE POC.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.