Two helicopter pilots died when their Eurocopter AS32 Super Puma crashed near Yosemite National Park while fighting a wildfire on September 20, 2026. The crash occurred around 2:55 p.m. local time; one of the deceased was identified as Greg King by the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection, who had extensive experience in wildland firefighting operations before joining Precision Helicopters. The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation into the cause of the accident.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-22,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On September 20, two helicopter pilots died when their aircraft crashed while battling the Dome Fire near Ostrander Lake in Yosemite National Park, California. The crash occurred around 3 pm PT, southeast of Wawona and south of El Capitan. Both pilots were employed by Precision Helicopters and were conducting water drops as part of fire suppression efforts.
The Eurocopter AS32 helicopter involved in the incident was one of several aerial resources aiding ground crews fighting the blaze, which had burned over 3,000 acres since its inception on September 15. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the crash.
One pilot has been identified as Greg King, a veteran of Alaska’s firefighting community who moved to Precision recently. No other identifying details about the second pilot have been released publicly due to privacy concerns expressed by family members.
Written for “Helicopter Crash Fighting Yosemite Fires” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 6 other(s) covering the same event.
Two helicopter pilots were killed when their aircraft crashed Sunday afternoon while conducting water drops on a wildfire at Yosemite National Park, officials say.
asserted
officials → kill → Park
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told Global News in a statement that “a Eurocopter AS32 helicopter crashed in Mariposa, California, around 2:55 p.m. local time on Sunday, Sept. 20, during firefighting operations.”
asserted
helicopter → tell → operations
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate.
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FAA → investigate → ?
The NTSB will lead the investigation,” the FAA added.
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FAA → lead → investigation
The pilots were the only people on board and were employed by the contract aircraft company Precision, according to The Associated Press.
uncertain
pilots → employ → Press
The Super Puma helicopter had been using a water bucket to help suppress the fire when it went down near a lake, said Benjamin Cossel, a spokesperson with the Federal Complex Incident Management Team overseeing the firefighting response.
asserted
Cossel → use → response
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One of the pilots was Greg King, who used to work for the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection and fought several wildland fires in that state before moving to Precision, the Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection announced in a Facebook post.
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Division → get → post
“It is with heavy hearts and deep sorrow that the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection announces the tragic loss of two pilots following an aviation accident on Sunday, September 20, 2026, on the Dome Fire in Yosemite, CA.
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Division → announce → Yosemite
A contract helicopter supporting wildland firefighting operations crashed, resulting in the deaths of both individuals on board,” Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection wrote.
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Division → support → Forestry
“Among those who lost their lives was Greg King, a pilot for Precision Helicopters, a contract helicopter company.
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King → lose → Helicopters
King was a cherished member of our wildland fire family, having served on wildland fires in Alaska and extensively alongside the Division of Forestry & Fire Protection.
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King → cherish → Forestry
King’s ties to our agency run deep, with close loved ones currently employed with our Division,” the post added.
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post → run → Division
The Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection said that King’s death is a “devastating loss for our agency and the entire wildland firefighting community.”
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death → say → agency
We are mourning both pilots who bravely supported firefighting efforts, and our hearts go out to their families.
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hearts → mourn → families
We are standing alongside our staff and Greg’s loved ones as we grieve this profound tragedy together,” the post read.
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post → stand → tragedy
King’s close relatives work at the agency and gave their permission to release his name, Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection agency spokesperson Emery Johnson told The Associated Press.
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Johnson → work → Press
The identity of the second pilot has not yet been released.
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identity → release → pilot
The California Incident Management Team 3 said a procession of first responders accompanied the two pilots killed on Sunday when their helicopter crashed on the Dome Fire in Yosemite National Park.
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helicopter → say → Park
“Firefighters, law enforcement officers, and other first responders from across the country were on hand to pay their respects along the procession route which ran from the Mariposa Airport to Modesto,” the California Incident Management Team said in an update.
asserted
Team → pay → update
Roughly 580 people are fighting the Dome Fire, which started Sept. 15 near Wawona, Calif., according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
uncertain
which → fight → Center
The California Incident Management Team noted that the Dome Fire is currently 15 per cent contained and mapped at 3,388 acres under the command of the U.S. Wildland Fire Service and California Complex Incident Management Team 3.
asserted
Fire → note → Service
The Aporia
