Two Pilots Killed in Yosemite Helicopter Crash Fighting Dome Fire

Two pilots from Precision Aerospace were killed Sunday afternoon when their helicopter crashed while fighting the Dome Fire in Yosemite National Park, according to the company and federal officials. The crash occurred at approximately 2:55 p.m. near Mariposa, California, during a water bucket drop operation on the wildfire. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the incident involved a Eurocopter AS32 helicopter. The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation into the cause of the crash, with the FAA and the U.S. Forest Service also participating. Precision Aerospace, based in McMinnville, Oregon, identified the deceased as two of its team members but did not release their names. The company stated it was "devastated by this loss" and asked for privacy for the families. The pilots were the only people on board the aircraft. According to a Forest Service spokesperson, the helicopter crew had been contracted to the agency's Price Valley Rappel Crew in Idaho. They were conducting suppression operations on the Dome Fire when the aircraft went down.