Sikorsky S-61N crash near Weaverville, CA, United States

A Carson Helicopters Sikorsky S-61N crashed during takeoff from a remote helibase in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest while supporting USFS firefighting operations on the Iron Complex Fire. The pilot, a USFS inspector pilot, and seven firefighters were killed. The copilot and three firefighters survived with severe injuries. The NTSB found the probable cause was Carson intentionally understating the helicopter empty weight and altering performance charts to exaggerate lift capability, resulting in the aircraft being loaded beyond its actual capacity. The 1965-built helicopter also lacked crash-resistant fuel tanks. The USFS cancelled its contract with Carson. A jury ordered GE to pay $69.7 million to survivors for the engine failure.