The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
Utah pilot remembered as investigation begins in Dome Fire helicopter crash
An NTSB investigation provided details about a helicopter crash that took the lives of two experienced pilots died during a firefighting mission in California.
Two experienced pilots, Ryan Cutter and Greg King, died during a firefighting mission in California while flying an Airbus AS332 L1 Super Puma for Fly Precision.
The crash occurred just after 1:56 p.m. Pacific daylight time as the helicopter was conducting water drops to help control the Dome Fire near Ostrander Lake.
According to the NTSB preliminary findings, the crew began the day with a 2.9-hour firefighting flight that included more than 25 water drops. They returned to the field after addressing equipment issues, including adjustments to the bucket’s air pressure regulator, and made three trips to Ostrander Lake to fill the 800-gallon bucket.
Video evidence and flight-tracker data indicate the helicopter’s descent rate increased and groundspeed fell during the third water drop. The bucket was released in the intended location with guidance from a strobe light, followed by a left yaw and a near-vertical bucket drop to the ground. The cargo hook then detached, the aircraft moved forward, and it struck trees.
The wreckage was located about 8,150 feet above sea level in dense forest and rugged terrain, roughly 500 feet downslope from the helispot H-5. Investigators from the FAA and NTSB are examining flight data, cockpit audio, and video footage as part of the ongoing analysis.
Fly Precision described Cutter and King as professionals who contributed to the mission, and a funeral procession for Cutter traversed from Heber Valley Airport through Heber City to Park City. A memorial service for Cutter is planned for October 24, 2026, at the Utah Olympic Park in Park City, followed by a celebration of life.