A pilot was killed on Monday in the crash of a helicopter involved in firefighting operations over Oregon’s Mt. Hood National Forest. According to the U.S. Forest Service, the helicopter was a Type 1 Kaman K-MAX conducting bucket drops on the White River Fire, approximately 20 miles west of Wamic, Oregon. The identity of the pilot has not been made public.
“On Monday, August 24, we lost a member of our firefighting family in a tragic helicopter accident on Mt. Hood National Forest,” the U.S. Forest Service, Mt. Hood National Forest, said in a statement. “The firefighting community is heartbroken to learn of this tragic loss and our condolences go out to the pilot’s family, friends, and co-workers.”
The Forest Service reported that the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office and Forest Service air and ground resources responded immediately to the crash. The cause of the accident is not yet known. The NTSB is investigating.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
