FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – A helicopter pilot is killed in a crash Wednesday while fighting the Hills Fire.
Cal Fire says the Bell UH-1H helicopter was dropping water on the Hills Fire in Fresno County, around 9 miles south of the City of Coalinga.
The pilot was killed when the helicopter crashed around 10:00am Wednesday morning near the Coalinga Municipal Airport.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s (SARS) Search and Rescue Team responded to the site near South Lost Hills Road and Sutter Avenue.
Cal Fire Officials said the pilot was the only person onboard the helicopter but did not survive the crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is lead on the investigation, with Cal Fire assisting.
Click to listen to the report by KMJ’s Liz Kern:
