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<br />Public Affairs Office <br /> <br />Page 1 of 1 <br /> <br />EJ <br /> <br />Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests <br />andPawneeNa6onalGrass~nd <br />240 West firospect <br />Fort Collins Colorado, 80526 <br /> <br />I~~"I <br /> <br />The USDA Forest Service is an Equal Opportunity Employer <br /> <br />CONTACT: Fire IA <br />8:00 to 5:00, M-F, 9707 <br />Recorded Information 24 hrs: 970-498-103' . <br />http://wiidfires.nwcg.gov/colorado <br /> <br />Website: <br /> <br />News Release <br />For Immediate ReHease <br />August 2, 2002,11:30 am <br /> <br />Big Elk Meadows Helicopter Fatdity Investigated <br /> <br />Nine members of a United States Forest Service Accident Invest.gation Team arrived Thursday morning at the <br />Big Elk\1eadows Fire in Lyons, Colorado. They immediately b.lgan the task of unraveling the events that led <br />,up to the crash of a firefig~1ting helicopter July 30 on the fire. Pilot Gordon Knigh; ofFolt Collins, CO was <br />killed in:itantIy when his Llama helicopter fell from the sky whil,: doing bucket work supporting firefighters on <br />the nortt em edge of the stubborn 4,413 acre blaze. <br /> <br />The team, which consists of aviation experts from around the country, is charged with determining if the <br />appropri lie training, procedures and policies were in place befom the incident, and whether any additions or <br />changes to those procedures are needed to help prevent future acddents. They will work in conjunction with <br />the National Transportation Safety Board who will detemline the exact cause of the crash._ <br /> <br />Team Le ader Tom Wagner states that his t~am will speno, the next few days interviewing witnessen, reviewing <br />documentation, and evaluating how safety standards wer(: implemented. The Team will work together with the <br />Forest Service's Washington Office, Denver Regional Office, Arapahoe-Roosevelt National Forests, and <br />Boulder and Larimer Counties in this endeavor. <br /> <br />They hope to have preliminary findings within the week and a more comprehensive report completed within the <br />next few months. <br /> <br />Contact: <br /> <br />Rick Barton, Information Officer <br />United States Forest Service <br />Accident Investigation Team <br />970-209-8006 <br /> <br />-END- <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />http://wiJdfires.nwcg.gov!colorado/bigelkln.../080202%20FS%20Investigation%20News%20Release.htm 8/15/02 <br />