Idaho Helicopter Crash

[NJFFSA16]

4th Victim Identified

McCALL, Idaho (AP) - The fourth victim of a helicopter crash
that killed three Payette National Forest firefighters and their
pilot has been identified.
Lillian M. Patten, 34, of Olympia, Wash., was killed in the
crash Sunday along with Michael Gene Lewis, 37, of Cascade; Monica
Lee Zajanc, 27, of Boise; and pilot Quin R. Stone, 42, of Emmett.
U.S. Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth on Tuesday extended
sympathy to family and friends of the four killed.
"As fires continue to rage throughout the western states, we
are reminded that firefighting is a dangerous business," Bosworth
said. "No piece of land or anyone's home is worth the loss of
life. Our firefighters' and the public's safety is and always will
be our first priority."
A representative of the National Transportation Safety board and
a U.S. Forest Service accident investigation team are examining the
crash site.
"Helicopters are sort of a way of life for firefighters, but it
certainly doesn't make it easier when someone dies," Denise Cobb
told The Idaho Statesman.
Cobb works in the Payette National Forest's Council station and
drove to McCall to help answer phone calls about the crash.
"We're a family; people are really close," she said.
Boyd Hartwig, a spokesman for the Payette National Forest, said
the single-engine A Star helicopter crashed 18 miles west of Yellow
Pine near the confluence of the Secesh River and the South Fork of
the Salmon River.
Stone was flying for Oregon-based Evergreen Helicopter and
transporting the firefighters to the area that has a number of
active fires.
"It's been pretty painful," said Bryan Stone, Quin Stone's
father. "A lot of tears. When you lose your son, you just want to
hold him."
He said his son had been a pilot for about 15 years, and that
this was his second year working with rappelling crews during the
fire season.
Lewis had worked for the Payette National Forest since 1988
fighting fires. Zajanc worked for the U.S. Forest Service since
1999, and in 2004 moved to Krassel.
Rose Davis, a spokeswoman for the National Interagency Fire
Center in Boise, said Sunday's crash was the first aviation
accident this year in Idaho that was related to firefighting.
---
Information from: The Idaho Statesman,

http://www.idahostatesman.com

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[NonSurfinCaFF]

This is the second crash this month, a Skycrane, 790 went down in Northern California about 2 weeks ago killing both pilots.

It had been a pretty good year for wildland as far as accidents until August, I hope this is the last.

[ramseycl]

Thanks, our thoughts and prayers are with the families.

[Hickman]

Helicopter Crash

Information on incident has been released.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060814/NEWS01/60814020

Thoughts and prayers go to the families, fellow employees, communities, and friends of these individuals.

[ramseycl]

Does anyone have more information about the helicopter crash in Idaho.