Aug 7, 2023
Accident
Minor Cabazon, CA
Injuries3 fatal
Phase of Flight-
ConditionsVMC
OperationFAR PUBU
Probable Cause
The Skycrane flight crew’s decision to enter the Fire Traffic Area’s 7-nm NOCOM ring at an altitude significantly above their maximum cleared altitude, which resulted in their need for an aggressive descent into congested airspace and subsequent failure to see and avoid the Bell 407.
NTSB WPR23FA302