Park City-based helicopter pilot among two killed fighting Yosemite wildfire

Ryan Cutter and Greg King died Sunday fighting a fire in Yosemite National Park. Photo: Fly Precision

PARK CITY, Utah — A Park City-based helicopter pilot was one of two men killed Sunday when a firefighting helicopter crashed while supporting efforts to battle the Dome Fire in Yosemite National Park.

Ryan Cutter, who worked for Fly Precision, was killed alongside fellow pilot Greg King when their AS332 Super Puma helicopter went down near Ostrander Lake in Yosemite while conducting water drops on the fire, according to federal officials. The two pilots were the only people aboard the aircraft.

Cutter was based in Park City and worked as a fire helicopter pilot for about a decade, according to a radio interview he did just weeks before his death. He also worked for a time as a former pilot of KUTV’s Sky 2 helicopter.

Precision announced the deaths Monday, saying the company was sharing the news with “unimaginable sadness and broken hearts.”

“We are devastated by this loss and are struggling to find the words,” the company said, asking for privacy and compassion for the pilots’ families and the Precision team as they grieve.

The crash occurred at about 2:55 p.m. on Sept. 20 as the helicopter was supporting suppression operations on the Dome Fire that began Sept. 15, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Fire officials said the helicopter had been conducting bucket drops to attack portions of the fire that are difficult for firefighters on the ground to reach. The crash site was in rugged terrain southeast of the lake.

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the accident, and the cause had not been determined as of Tuesday.

A GoFundMe campaign established following Cutter’s death describes him as a beloved husband, son, friend, and godfather. The campaign’s immediate goal is to help support his wife, Nina, including travel expenses to bring her family closer to her as she navigates the loss.

The fundraiser says donations will go directly toward travel costs for Nina’s family to be with her immediately and, in the future, to attend services celebrating Cutter’s life.

Cutter’s death and King’s death mark a loss for the firefighting aviation community as the Dome Fire continues to burn in Yosemite’s backcountry.