ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 343288
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| Date: | Sunday 6 August 2023 |
| Time: | 18:44 |
| Type: |  Sikorsky S-64E |
| Owner/operator: | Siller Helicopters Inc |
| Registration: | N4037S |
| MSN: | 64101 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1975 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 18403 hours |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Minor |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Cabazon, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Fire fighting |
| Departure airport: | Hemet-Ryan Field, CA (HMT/KHMT) |
| Banning Airport, CA (BNG/KBNG) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
On August 6, 2023, about 1844 Pacific daylight time, a Bell 407, N555AS, and a Sikorsky S-64, N4037S, collided midair near Cabazon, California. The Bell was destroyed, and the pilot and two qualified non-crewmembers were fatally injured. The Sikorsky sustained minor damage and the pilot and copilot were not injured. Both helicopters were operated as public-use firefighting aircraft.
Preliminary Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) data revealed that the Bell departed Hemet-Ryan Airport (HMT) in Hemet, California, about 1834 and traveled about 9 nm to the north-northeast. The Bell then completed a left 360° turn and maneuvered northeast towards Cabazon. The Sikorsky departed HMT about 3 minutes after the Bell and travelled northeast through mountainous terrain and continued northeast following descending terrain towards Cabazon. ADS-B data showed both helicopters on a converging flight path, until the time of collision, located about 2 nm west of the Broadway Fire, at an altitude between 2,375 to 2,400 ft mean sea level (msl).
The wreckage of the Bell came to rest on a steep and rocky hillside about 1050 ft off the last recorded ADS-B data point. A post-crash fire ensued and consumed the fuselage. The debris path was about 950 ft by 550 ft, in which all major components of the helicopter were located. The beginning of the debris path was identified by a piece of delaminated main rotor blade, which was about 560 feet east of the approximate collision area. Subsequent fragments of the main rotor blade were identified within a 100 ft span to the east. A displaced skid and crosstube came to rest about 195 east of the main wreckage and was the eastern most piece of debris.
About 830 feet southeast of the first delaminated blade component, a ground scar was determined to be the fuselage's initial impact point (IIP). It was followed by a 20-foot-long ground scar, oriented on a 098° heading, that extended to the engine, which was displaced and located adjacent to rock boulders. The main wreckage was found about 45 ft east of the engine. The main rotor blades, mast, and transmission came to rest around 285 ft northwest of the main wreckage, upslope from the IIP. The tail cone and tail rotor blade assembly came to rest about 470 ft west of the main wreckage.
The Sikorsky landed nearby without further incident. The right main landing gear tire was damaged, with an approximate 12-inch portion not located.
The wreckage of the Bell was recovered to a secure location for further examination. The damaged right tire and wheel assembly of the Sikorsky was retained for further examination.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.latestly.com/socially/world/helicopter-crash-in-us-video-firefighting-chopper-crashes-near-cabazon-after-mid-air-collision-with-another-helicopter-three-killed-5322217.html
https://theatlasnews.co/breakingnews/2023/08/06/two-firefighting-helicopters-reportedly-crash-during-response-to-broadway-fire-cabazon-ca/
https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/fiery-mid-air-collision-involving-firefighting-helicopter-in-riverside-county
https://news.sky.com/story/two-firefighters-and-pilot-killed-in-mid-air-collision-while-tackling-fire-in-california-12935348
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=4037S
https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=a4bb24&lat=33.913&lon=-116.845&zoom=12.9&showTrace=2023-08-07
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N4037S
https://cdn.jetphotos.com/full/6/66623_1516210761.jpg (photo)
Location
Media:
🚨#BREAKING: Two Firefighting helicopter has crashed in a mid air collision while fighting brush fire
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) August 7, 2023
📌#Cabazon | #California
Currently, there is a deadly incident in Cabazon, California that occurred this evening, where two firefighting helicopters collided in mid-air while… pic.twitter.com/t8kXt6VSy5
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 07-Aug-2023 03:26 | Captain Adam | Added |
| 07-Aug-2023 05:05 | Aerossurance | Updated |
| 07-Aug-2023 05:41 | RobertMB | Updated |
| 07-Aug-2023 13:30 | johnwg | Updated |
| 08-Aug-2023 06:32 | Aerossurance | Updated |
| 10-Aug-2023 13:42 | Captain Adam | Updated |
| 03-Sep-2023 10:14 | Captain Adam | Updated |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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