Summary:
- Three lives lost in a mid-air helicopter collision over Cabazon have been identified as Assistant Chief Josh Bischoff, Captain Tim Rodriguez, and contract pilot Tony Suja.
- The collision occurred during firefighting operations, involving two helicopters. One helicopter crashed, while the other landed safely.
- Investigations are underway by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration to determine the cause of the collision.
Three lives lost in a fiery midair helicopter collision in the skies over Cabazon have been identified. Investigators are trying to determine the cause of the tragic incident.
The collision occurred near Pipeline Road and Apache Trail in a remote area of Cabazon while fire crews were battling the Broadway fire. Two firefighting helicopters were involved in the collision, resulting in one of them crashing to the ground. The other helicopter managed to land safely. The victims of the crash have been identified as Assistant Chief Josh Bischoff, Captain Tim Rodriguez, both with Cal Fire, and contract pilot Tony Suja. They were on a mission to fight a 20-acre brush fire when their Bell 407 helicopter collided with a water-dropping helitanker. The two occupants of the other aircraft survived with a safe emergency landing.
Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the collision. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are conducting a thorough inquiry into the incident, including assessing recent maintenance on the aircraft, the pilots' training history, and other relevant factors.