Incident report
Kaman K-1200 crash near Gunnison, United States
fatal2026-07-131 fatality
Summary
A Kaman K-1200 helicopter operated by Helicopter Express crashed into Silver Jack Reservoir while assisting firefighters battling the Gold Mountain Fire in southwestern Colorado. The sole pilot, 56-year-old Nicholas Dale of Sooke, British Columbia, was killed. The FAA preliminary report stated the aircraft crashed under unknown circumstances, becoming inverted. The NTSB is leading the investigation. The Gold Mountain Fire had grown to about 57 square miles at the time of the crash.
Incident details
Date
2026-07-13
Location
Gunnison, United States
Aircraft
Operator
Helicopter Express
Operator type
commercial
Fatalities
1
Injuries
0
Occupants
1
Probable cause
Source
AP ↗38.5458, -107.3242
Quick stats
Severityfatal
Fatalities1
Injuries0
SourceAP
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