Cal Fire identifies firefighters and pilot killed in Cabazon helicopter crash

Two Cal Fire helicopters collided in midair while responding to a brush fire in Cabazon on Sunday evening, killing three people aboard one of the firefighting aircraft.

The victims were identified as Assistant Chief Josh Bischof, Fire Captain Tim Rodriguez, and Exclusive Use helicopter pilot Tony Sousa. Bischof had been a member of the force for 24 years and Rodriguez had been with the force for 19 years, according to fire officials.

"We have lost three great individuals," said Cal Fire Southern Region Chief David Fulcher during an early Monday morning news conference. "Three fathers, three husbands, three friends, three sons."

Rodriguez worked at Hemet Ryan Air Attack Base and Bischof had recently been promoted to assistant chief for Cal Fire aviation based in Sacramento after working at the Hemet Ryan Air Attack Base for several years, Cal Fire said. The fire department did not have information on where Sousa was based since he was a contract pilot and did not work for Cal Fire.

“Our hearts are broken at the loss of our colleagues, mentors, and friends," CAL Fire/Riverside County Fire Chief Bill Weiser said in a statement. "Josh and Tim were exceptional firefighters and people."

Cal Fire and Riverside County Fire Department resources had been dispatched to a structure fire near the intersection of Broadway Street and South Ronda Avenue in Cabazon at 6:03 p.m. Sunday. That blaze spread into the surrounding vegetation and a full wildland fire dispatch was initiated, which included fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft.

While battling the blaze, the two helicopters — a huge Erickson S-64E and a smaller Bell 407 — collided. The larger Erickson landed safely but the second crashed, killing all three people aboard, Fulcher said.

“Although this was a tragic event, we are also thankful today that it wasn’t worse,” Fulcher said. “The individuals in the first helicopter were able to land safely without incident and no one else was hurt.”

A procession for the victims was held overnight with their bodies escorted to the coroner's office in Perris, Los Angeles television station KABC-7 reported.

The helicopter pilot was flying under contract with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, fire captain and spokesman Richard Cordova said.

During a news conference Monday morning, officials said a total of six aircraft were in the air responding to the fire.

The first helicopter that landed safely after the collision typically carries retardant or water, officials said.

The other chopper, which was used for observation, crashed into a hillside after the impact. Overhead video from the crash scene showed a burn area and what looked like a helicopter blade on a hillside near an area of charred brush.

Cal Fire said in a social media post at the time that the initial fire was burning “in light flashy fuels with a moderate rate of spread” and had spread over approximately three acres.

While battling the blaze, the two helicopters collided just before 7 p.m. The crash caused an additional four-acre fire, which was extinguished.

The sky was clear and there were breezy winds typical of the Cabazon area, said Cordova, a Cal Fire public information officer for the region.

“They were good conditions to fly in,” he said.

The Bell crew's mission was to tell helicopters where to make drops, working in conjunction with the crew of an airplane flying above all others, Cordova said. That aircrew's role is called “air attack.”

“They kind of work together,” Cordova said. “The air attack is the main boss up in the sky and the helicopter coordinator assists with the air attack and helps out with the helicopters.”

While the conditions were reportedly suitable for flying Sunday, Fred Bell, director of the Palm Springs Air Museum, said low-level flying through the mountain pass can be “some of the most difficult flying in the world" due to its unpredictability.

“It's a vital job that they do, but it can be extremely dangerous, especially in those mountainous areas where they get into those canyons, and you can get crosswinds or wind shear,” Bell said in an interview. “It can be really difficult with a helicopter.”

Bell said he happened to be on a return flight to Palm Springs on Sunday when he saw black smoke near Interstate 10 from the incident. The fire was right along the mountainside, Bell said, creating a challenge for a fixed-wing airplane to access the area.

“It's not uncommon that they're going to run into crosswinds or a difficult wind environment,” Bell said. “If you're moving around, one of the biggest challenges you have with multiple aircraft in the air is deconflicting, making sure they don't run into each other.”

The pilot of the helicopter that crashed was flying under contract with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The S-64E helicopter and its two-person crew were also under contract.

Cal Fire operates its own fleet of about 60 aircraft but also contracts with commercial companies for additional helicopters and airplanes that are on standby at bases statewide.

Cordova said in-flight collisions are rare but have occurred during previous California wildfires. He recalled two instances over several decades but did not immediately have details.

Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the incident, arrived on scene Monday morning to start assessing the wreckage and gathering witness statements. At a news conference Monday afternoon, NTSB Air Safety Investigator Eleazar Nepomuceno said they will consider a wide range of factors, such as weather conditions, the pilots’ flight training history and the helicopter’s mechanics, in their review.

A preliminary report will be released at least 15 business days after board officials return from the site to their office, Nepomuceno said, and a full report, including the probable cause, will be released at the end of the investigation, typically 18 to 24 months later.

“Most importantly, during the course of our investigation, if we discover any systematic deficiencies, we may issue safety recommendations designed to prevent similar future accidents,” Nepomuceno said.

Asked whether the crash occurred vertically or horizontally, Nepomuceno said officials were still analyzing that information. A drone team planned to join the investigators Monday night to review the crash site.

Gov. Gavin Newsom's office announced Monday that flags at the State Capitol and Capitol Annex Swing Space will be at half-staff in honor of Bischof, Rodriguez and Sousa.

“On behalf of all Californians, our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies are with the loved ones, friends and Cal Fire colleagues mourning the loss of Assistant Chief Bischof, Fire Captain Rodriguez, and Pilot Sousa," Newsom said in a statement. "This terrible tragedy is a reminder of the dangers our courageous firefighters face daily while working to keep our communities safe. We owe them our deepest respect and gratitude and will always honor their bravery and sacrifices.”

Storey County Professional Firefighters, based in Storey County in Nevada, posted its condolences to the victims on Facebook.

"We were responding to this incident and heard the 'emergency traffic' call as we were coming into the area. Your heart sinks when you hear this, but you continue on. Everyone on scene continued to work to mitigate the multiple fires that were active," the group said. "This incident was a somber reminder of how dangerous this job is. Everyone in the fire service knows the dangers, but all accept the risk, as we all want to help others in their time of need."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ani Gasparyan covers the western Coachella Valley cities of Desert Hot Springs and Cathedral City. Reach her at ani.gasparyan@desertsun.com.

Tom Coulter covers the cities of Palm Desert, La Quinta, Rancho Mirage and Indian Wells. Reach him at thomas.coulter@desertsun.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Cal Fire identifies three killed in helicopter crash while fighting fire