Pilots Killed in Yosemite Helicopter Crash Identified as Greg King, Ryan Cutter

By MES Dispatch Staff

The Briefing

• Fly Precision, an Oregon-based aviation firm, identified Greg King and Ryan Cutter as the two pilots killed when their helicopter crashed Sunday while fighting the Dome Fire near Wawona in Yosemite National Park.
• The helicopter went down just before 3 p.m. during water bucket-drop operations, according to a preliminary Federal Aviation Administration report; the cause remains unknown.
• The Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection said King had also fought Alaskan wildfires and called his death a “devastating loss.”
• The deaths mark the first among firefighting personnel in California this year, following an August death during the Gann Fire in Calaveras County.
• The Dome Fire has burned 3,522 acres and was 15% contained as of the report, with more than 580 firefighting personnel still assigned to it.

MARIPOSA COUNTY, Calif. — The two pilots killed when their helicopter crashed while fighting a wildfire in Yosemite National Park have been identified as Greg King and Ryan Cutter, according to their employer, Oregon-based Fly Precision.

“These two men brought honor to the mission. Their dedication and service will never be forgotten,” the company said in a statement posted to Instagram, thanking the public for their support.

The pilots were conducting water bucket drops on the Dome Fire near Wawona when their helicopter went down just before 3 p.m. Sunday, according to a preliminary Federal Aviation Administration report. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined.

The Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection said King had also worked battling wildfires in Alaska, calling his death a “devastating loss.” “Greg was a dedicated aviator and a dear friend to many of us. We are mourning both pilots who bravely supported firefighting efforts, and our hearts go out to their families,” the division said in a social media post. A GoFundMe campaign set up for Cutter’s wife described him as a “deeply loved husband, son, friend, and godfather.”

The deaths are the first among firefighting personnel in California this year; the only other wildfire-related fatality in the state occurred when a woman was killed during the Gann Fire in Calaveras County in August. More than 580 firefighting personnel remain assigned to the Dome Fire, which has burned 3,522 acres in a remote area of Yosemite National Park and was 15% contained.