Pilot Nicholas Dale, 56, died on July 12, 2026, when his helicopter crashed during firefighting operations on the Gold Mountain Fire in southwestern Gunnison County, Colorado.
Dale, a wildland contract pilot with 31 years of service for Helicopter Express, was killed when his aircraft went down in the Silver Jack Reservoir. He was based out of Chamblee, Georgia.
This incident marks the 57th firefighter fatality reported in 2026. An investigation into the crash is currently underway.