By Andrew J. Campa
Los Angeles Times
RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. — A lack of communication and a sudden, unauthorized descent by one helicopter were behind a deadly crash that killed two firefighters and a contract pilot battling a Riverside County fire in 2023, according to a national investigation.
The National Transportation Safety Board released its final report Thursday and concluded that the probable cause of the midair collision was poor judgment by one crew, who failed to comply with multiple safety procedures.
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Assistant Chief Joshua Bischof, 46, Cal Fire Capt. Tim Rodriguez, 44, and pilot Tony Sousa, 55, were killed in the incident Aug. 6, 2023. The trio were flying along with multiple other aerial units battling a small blaze outside Cabazon.
The men were aboard a Bell 407 single-engine utility helicopter that departed Hemet-Ryan Airport, which was roughly 16 nautical miles from the blaze.
At about the same time, another helicopter, a Skycrane, used for dropping water, left the same airport en route to the fire.
They traveled in separate directions, however, with the Bell venturing in a northern direction and staying west of the San Jacinto Mountains. The Skycrane traveled in a northeast direction over a section of the same mountain range.
Both were required to communicate with a group supervisor about when and where they would enter the area designated for fighting the fire.
Neither helicopter, though, received “a clear radio signal” from the group supervisor giving them clearance to get closer than 12 nautical miles to the fire or within seven miles of the so-called fire traffic area, the final clearance for all aerial firefighting units, according to the report. Report analysts believe the mountainous terrain played a part in the communications breakdown.
Both helicopters maneuvered for better line of sight in the hopes of reestablishing communication with the group supervisor, according to the report.
The Bell connected with the supervisor before entering the fire traffic area, but the Skycrane did not.
The Bell team was told to descend and not climb above 2,500 feet. The chopper remained level at that altitude as its crew pulled within five nautical miles of the blaze.
The Skycrane pulled to within six nautical miles of the fire, and that’s when the crew received clearance from the group supervisor to remain at “2,500 feet and below,” according to the report.
The supervisor warned the crew there were “multiple hazards in the area.”
The Skycrane was at 4,000 feet at that time and climbed another 300 feet, likely to avoid terrain, the report states.
After that initial upward burst, the Skycrane then made an “aggressive descent” to 2,500 feet. Three seconds later, as the craft dipped another 50 feet, the Skycrane struck the Bell, according to the report.
The Bell was hit by the Skycrane’s right wheel and tire assembly.
There was an explosion right after impact in which the Bell’s tail boom, main rotor, mast and transmission separated from the helicopter, the report says. The remaining part of the fuselage continued with the Bell crashing to the ground.
The Bell’s main rotor blade chopped up the Skycrane’s right main wheel and tire assembly.
The Skycrane’s two-member crew was not injured, however.
The report included decision-making and judgment, the monitoring of the other aircraft, and altitude among its findings for the crash’s probable cause.
“The Skycrane pilot should have advised [the group supervisor] that the aircraft could not comply with the altitude clearance and should have informed [the supervisor] of their aggressive descent, which falls into the definition of a non-standard maneuver and constitutes communication to aerial supervision,” the report noted, as the crew violated National Wildfire Coordinating Group guidelines.
Cal Fire will implement new safety measures including improved pilot training and updated protocols for communication, as KTLA reported. The news outlet also noted that wrongful death lawsuits had been filed on behalf of all three victims of the collision.
“We appreciate the NTSB’s thorough investigation and findings of accountability for this completely avoidable midair collision,” said Gary Robb , according to KTLA. The attorney is representing the Bischof and Rodriguez families.
“These men were on a heroic mission to save lives, and their loss was tragic not only for their families but also for their communities.”
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