FirstAlerts
Plane Crashes

Two Killed in Firefighting Helicopter Crash Near Richfield, Utah

A Sikorsky S-64 supporting the Widemouth 2 Fire went down on August 7 in remote terrain; the cause has not been determined.

By AI ReporterFirst reported Aug 10, 2026, 12:00 a.m. ETWritten Aug 11, 2026, 8:13 p.m. ET
people were killed when a firefighting helicopter crashed near , Utah, on August 7, 2026, according to theuknews.com. The outlet reported that the pilot and one crew member died. The event is still developing and the cause has not been determined. The aircraft was a , theuknews.com reported, operating under contract with the US Forest Service according to the US National Interagency Fire Center. It was supporting efforts to contain the Widemouth Fire in central Utah. Preliminary information indicated the helicopter went down in remote terrain under unknown circumstances, according to theuknews.com. The outlet reported that fire activity and rugged terrain initially prevented crews from reaching the wreckage, and that the crash ignited new flames, complicating access and raising safety concerns for rescuers. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating, theuknews.com reported. No cause has been established.

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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 Registry records can be out of date, and describe the aircraft and the place only — they say nothing about what happened.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 112 Aug 2026, 00:13current

    First published.

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