'Mayday, Mayday, Mayday': Report outlines moments before fatal crash at Utah wildfire

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The NTSB released a preliminary report on the Aug. 7 helicopter crash.
Two pilots died while conducting aerial fire suppression near the Widemouth 2 Fire.
The crash occurred after a radio transmission indicated a problem; investigations continue.

RICHFIELD — A pilot on board a helicopter that went down while battling a massive wildfire in central Utah earlier this month indicated trouble moments before the fatal crash, according to a preliminary federal report.

The National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday released its initial report detailing the deadly helicopter crash near the Widemouth 2 Fire, which killed both pilots on Aug. 7.

The helicopter, a Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane, which is the civilian version of a CH-54A Skycrane Helitanker, stopped at a water source to fill its 2,650-gallon tank. It then began traveling to a specific drop site near the fire shortly before the crash.

Its pilots, Chris Andersen, 64, of Stateline, Nevada, and Miles Elliott, 50, of Porterville, California, were in communication with a pair of supervisors over where to drop the water. The two pilots said they would "make another pass" before they released the water onto the drop site.

Nothing appeared out of the ordinary until one of the pilots shouted, "We have a problem. ... Mayday, Mayday, Mayday."

The supervisors lost sight of the helicopter behind a knoll at the same time. No communications were received from the helicopter after that, while witnesses told KSL that they saw a plume of smoke rise from where the helicopter was last seen.

NTSB experts said the helicopter crashed into "rising terrain" near the Sevier-Millard county line after 10:40 a.m. The impact, they said, caused a fire, which "consumed much of the airframe."

Local officials said the crash sparked a fire near the Widemouth 2 Fire, which ultimately was encompassed by the massive wildfire. It took over 24 hours for Sevier County search and rescue teams to finally reach the site, which is when they declared that Andersen and Elliott had died.

It's still unclear what caused the helicopter to go down.

National Transportation Safety Board investigators and an aerospace engineer and helicopter specialist examined the crash site on Aug. 9. They found "components" that the board "retained for further examination and testing," which could help solve remaining questions. It also said results of an examination of the helicopter's airframe and engines are pending.

Andersen and Elliott were part of a crew from Cleveland National Forest that was assigned to assist crews battling the Widemouth 2 Fire. Their remains were flown home last week following a somber procession to the Salt Lake City airport.

Family and friends of the two pilots remembered them as selfless individuals who were dedicated to public service. Andersen's brother said he was the type of person who "ran to the problem, not from the problem." Elliott put "the lives and safety of others before his own," added Porterville, California Mayor Greg Meister.

The Widemouth 2 Fire has burned nearly 130,000 acres, making it Utah's third-largest on record. It's now 91% contained.

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