Canadian Pilot Nicholas Dale Dies in Helicopter Crash Fighting Colorado Wildfire

Nicholas Dale, a 56-year-old pilot from Sooke, British Columbia, died Monday when his helicopter crashed into the Silver Jack reservoir in Gunnison County, Colorado, while fighting the Gold Mountain fire, The Guardian reported. Dale was the only person aboard the Kaman Aerospace K-1200 owned by Helicopter Express. Divers later recovered his body from the submerged aircraft.

The helicopter crashed under unknown circumstances and became inverted, according to the FAA. The NTSB is leading the investigation. The Gold Mountain fire has grown to about 57 square miles in southwestern Colorado and was 11 percent contained as of Monday.

Dale’s survivors include a wife and two children. Colorado Governor Jared Polis said state flags will fly at half-staff during 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 Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office expressed its deepest condolences to Dale’s family, friends, and fellow wildfire-fighting personnel. ” The accident follows the deaths of three firefighters in June who were trapped by flames while fighting a blaze on Colorado’s border with Utah. Wildfires are burning across many western U.S.

States amid prolonged hot and dry conditions.