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Memorial Procession Planned for Dead FlyPrecision Crew

By Drooid · Sep 21, 2026, 10:51 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

FAA Confirms Crash

The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed a Eurocopter AS332 crashed while dropping water on Yosemite’s Dome Fire, killing two crew members.
The aircraft belonged to private firefighting contractor FlyPrecision, which issued a statement mourning the crew.
The crash occurred just before 3 p.m. PT on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026.
The Dome Fire had burned over 3,000 acres and was 15% contained as of Sept. 21, 2026.

Summary

Price Valley Helitack Deploys

A memorial procession will move the fallen pilots’ remains from Mariposa through Fresno airport on Monday.
Yosemite’s aviation record lists crashes, including WWII bombers and a 1993 Mount Lyell incident.
Price Valley Helitack near New Meadows, Idaho, provides helitack and rappelling crews nationwide.
The crashed Super Puma was part of a helitack rappelling team that uses ropes.
Despite the crash, twelve helicopters stay assigned to the Dome Fire.

History

Historical Context

In 1993 a Westland Wessex crash in North Wales killed three passengers after a tail-rotor failure, illustrating tail-rotor risks for firefighting helicopters. Decades later, on 20 September 2026 the FAA confirmed FlyPrecision’s Eurocopter AS332 crash while fighting Yosemite’s Dome Fire, leaving agencies operating twelve helicopters on the blaze and reviving calls for tighter safety audits.

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FAA Confirms Crash

The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed a Eurocopter AS332 crashed while dropping water on Yosemite’s Dome Fire, killing two crew members.
The aircraft belonged to private firefighting contractor FlyPrecision, which issued a statement mourning the crew.
The crash occurred just before 3 p.m. PT on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026.
The Dome Fire had burned over 3,000 acres and was 15% contained as of Sept. 21, 2026.

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