A veteran firefighting pilot from Sooke has died after the helicopter he was flying crashed into a Colorado reservoir while battling a wildfire.
The Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Sunday that Nicholas Dale, 56, of Sooke, was killed when his Kaman K-1200 K-MAX helicopter crashed into Silver Jack Reservoir at 5:17 p.m. July 12.
Dale was the lone occupant of the aircraft and was conducting wildfire suppression operations on the Gold Mountain Fire when the helicopter went down.
The Montrose County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team later recovered his body from the submerged aircraft, which was then transferred to the Gunnison County Coroner’s Office.
On Monday, a procession of law enforcement vehicles escorted Dale’s body from Gunnison to Grand Junction. Residents lined portions of the route to pay their respects to the fallen pilot and the thousands of firefighters battling wildfires across the western United States.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said state flags will be lowered to half-staff on the day of Dale’s memorial service.
“We are committed to supporting our brave firefighters and their families, and the state stands ready to support any investigation into this tragic incident,” Polis said.
The helicopter was operated by Helicopter Express, which confirmed Dale’s death Monday in a heartfelt tribute.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the loss of a valued member of the Helicopter Express family,” the company wrote.
“This is a heartbreaking loss for everyone at Helicopter Express and throughout the aerial firefighting community. Nick’s dedication, professionalism, and commitment to protecting others will never be forgotten.”
The company said Dale is survived by his wife and two children.
“Our thoughts, prayers, and deepest condolences are with his family, friends, fellow crewmembers, and all those who had the privilege of knowing and working alongside him,” the company said.
Two U.S. government organizations, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), are investigating the crash. Authorities have not released a cause, but the FAA said the helicopter “crashed under unknown circumstances, becoming inverted.”
The Gold Mountain Fire is burning in southwestern Colorado near Silver Jack Reservoir and is estimated to be roughly 36,259 acres in size (14,673 hectares), according to officials. It was 11 per cent contained as of Monday.
Dale’s death comes during an especially dangerous wildfire season in the western U.S. Last week, wildland firefighters in Colorado gathered to honour three fellow firefighters who died after becoming trapped by flames near the Colorado-Utah border.
With files from The Associated Press.