Dome Fire · Aviation incident
Dome Fire helicopter crash: what is known.
Two pilots were killed when a firefighting helicopter crashed during water-drop operations on the Dome Fire in Yosemite National Park. The cause remains under investigation.
Confirmed facts
What authorities and reporting agree on.
The Federal Aviation Administration says a Eurocopter helicopter crashed in Mariposa County at about 2:55 PM local time on 20 September 2026 during firefighting operations. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation.
The two pilots were Greg King and Ryan Cutter. Both worked for Precision and were the only people aboard.
The helicopter was supporting the Dome Fire with water-drop operations near Ostrander Lake.
News organizations and the operator identify the aircraft as an AS332 Super Puma.
The FAA and NTSB are investigating. No probable cause has been published.
Evidence boundary
What is not known yet.
No official investigation result currently establishes a mechanical failure, pilot action, weather cause, loading issue or other causal mechanism. Tecnobosque will not infer one from the aircraft type, terrain, mission profile or wildfire conditions.
Why it matters to the fire record
Aviation was part of the Dome Fire suppression system.
The Dome Fire has relied heavily on aviation because of steep, remote terrain. National Park Service updates documented repeated helicopter use for water drops, crew movement, supplies and extraction capability. The fatal crash therefore forms part of the incident’s operational history, but it should remain analytically separate from fire-behavior interpretation.
Sources
Primary statement and current reporting.
- FAA — September 20, 2026 accident statement ↗
- Associated Press — identification of both pilots ↗
- Reuters — Dome Fire helicopter crash report ↗
Published and reviewed 22 September 2026. This page will be updated when the NTSB publishes new investigative evidence.