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Plane Crashes

Two Killed in Helicopter Crash Near Utah Wildfire; NTSB Investigating

KSL.com reports two people died when a Sikorsky S-64 came down near the Widemouth 2 Fire in central Utah, with the cause not yet determined.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 9, 2026, 9:38 p.m. ET
people were killed in a helicopter crash near the Widemouth Fire in central Utah, near , according to KSL.com. The outlet reported that people were aboard and that both died. The event is still developing, and the investigation is open. KSL.com reported that the crash occurred , on the edge of the fire zone, and that the National Interagency Fire Center confirmed the deaths early that morning. The reporting available here does not give a calendar date for the crash or for the confirmation, so this account cannot place either on a specific day. Smoke cover was present at the time of the crash, but conditions were described as nothing out of the ordinary, according to the outlet. Recovery was difficult. KSL.com reported the crash site was above 7,000 feet in elevation in steep terrain with heavy brush and trees, and that fire conditions forced responders and hand crews to withdraw before the recovery could be completed. A Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter later flew detectives and a medical examiner to the site to recover the victims. The aircraft was a operated by , according to KSL.com. The specific aircraft involved has not been identified in the available reporting. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating. The cause has not been determined.

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Reference data

From aircraft and geographic registries, not from the news sources. Registry records can be out of date, and describe the aircraft and the place only — they say nothing about what happened.

Terrain elevation
846 ft
Nearest aerodrome
3.2 miles W of Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (KMSP/MSP)

Sources

Revision history

  1. Version 110 Aug 2026, 01:38current

    First published.

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