Two Cal Fire firefighters and a contract pilot have been killed due to a midair collision between an Aero Leasing Bell 407HP and a Siller Air Sikorsky S-64E contracted by Cal Fire. Following the collision, the two-person crew of the S-64 were able to make a precautionary landing, but unfortunately, the B-407 proved unrecoverable and crashed, killing California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) Assistant Chief Joshua Bischof, 46, Cal Fire Capt. Tim Rodriguez, 44, and Aero Leasing pilot Tony Sousa, 55.
The two aircraft were working a fire near Cabazon, California, known as the Broadway fire, with the Bell 407 in a command & control role while the S-64 was tasked with retardant drops. NTSB investigators are on the scene.
