Two pilots killed in S-64 Skycrane crash while fighting Utah wildfire

Two pilots were killed when a Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane crashed while dropping water on a wildfire in central Utah.

The heavy-lift helicopter went down at about 10:40 local time on August 7, 2026, while supporting crews battling the Widemouth 2 Fire near Richfield, Utah. Two people were aboard the helicopter, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The S-64 was operated by Helicopter Transport Services under a contract with the US Forest Service.

The accident started a separate fire near the wreckage. Steep terrain and the active wildfire initially prevented emergency crews from reaching the helicopter, forcing responders to withdraw from the area immediately after the crash.

Crews reached the crash site the next day and confirmed that both pilots had been killed. Their remains were recovered later that day and taken to the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner.

One of the pilots was identified on July 10 as Miles Elliott of Porterville, California.

Elliott was a helicopter and fixed-wing pilot who served on the Porterville Municipal Airport Committee and volunteered with the Experimental Aircraft Association’s Young Eagles program, which introduces young people to aviation.

“Miles represented the very best of Porterville,” Mayor Greg Meister said in a statement released by the city. “He was a devoted father, pilot, entrepreneur, photographer, mentor, and an incredibly gifted person who used his talents to serve others and give back to the community he called home.”

The Widemouth 2 Fire was started by lightning on July 27 in the Fishlake National Forest and has burned more than 118,000 acres. The fire remained only about one-quarter contained as of July 10.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox paid tribute to both pilots following the accident.

“They put themselves in harm’s way to protect our state and gave their lives in that service,” Cox said. “Utah will never forget their courage, their service, and their sacrifice.”

The Sikorsky S-64 is a twin-engine heavy-lift helicopter widely used for aerial firefighting. The aircraft can be equipped with a large tank that allows crews to pick up water and make repeated drops over a fire.

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators arrived in Utah on July 8, but wildfire conditions have so far prevented them from reaching the wreckage.The post Two pilots killed in S-64 Skycrane crash while fighting Utah wildfire appeared first on AeroTime.

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