More detail on this person: Helicopter accident
while dropping water on a forest fire in CO.By
News Staff and Wire Reports
July 31, 2002
PINEWOOD SPRINGS - A helicopter working hot
spots at the Big Elk Fire plunged to the ground
Tuesday evening, killing the pilot.
It was the second fatal firefighting crash on the
same blaze in less than two weeks.
The helicopter's pilot was identified as Leonard
G. Knight, 52, of Fort Collins, the Larimer County
coroner's office said. He was
the only person on board.
"Helicopter going down!" Knight shouted into his
radio an instant before the crash, according to
the U.S. Forest Service's Linda Torgerson.
The chopper had been leased from a Fort Collins
company by the City of Boulder and Boulder
County.
The accident came less than two weeks after a
World War II-era slurry bomber lost its left wing,
erupted into flames and crashed at the Big Elk
Fire. The pilot and co-pilot both died.
In southwestern Colorado, crews worked to protect
archaeological treasures at the Mesa Verde
National Park. A 2,077-acre blaze has forced the
evacuation of the park and remained out of control
on Wednesday.
Fire information officer Justin Dombrowski said
cooler weather was expected to aid the crews
Wednesday after the fire calmed slightly
overnight. The firefighters were focusing on
protecting structures, including the headquarters
area.
One of our brothers was killed on July 30th when
his helicopter experienced an engine failure and
crashed while fighting a fire near Estes Park, CO.
Leonard Gordon Knight, Class 71-17.
He flew as a Scout Pilot with several Air Cavalry
Troops during 1971-72. If anyone knows him or
which units he was with, please contact Mike Law
with VHPA.
Jim Koch, Stallion 505, Stagecoach 13,
http://www.stallion505.homestead.com
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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