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Richard “Dick” Warren Black

Pilot

Pilot Black and Forest Unit Supervisor Mackey were involved in a reconnaissance flight to locate water supplies for future fire suppression operations. They were flying in a Weyerhaeuser-operated Bell 206B helicopter. The pair located water supply locations that could be utilized by helicopters and recorded their GPS location for future use. After about an hour in flight, the helicopter was proceeding along a river when it collided with a 5/8-inch neutral/ground cable line that was strung across the Siuslaw River. The weather at the time was cloudy and foggy. The helicopter fell approximately 250 to 300 feet into the river and came to rest in about 3 feet of water. The cable was entangled in the wreckage. Pilot Black and Forest Unit Supervisor Mackey died from multiple traumatic injuries. The cable that was struck by the helicopter was not marked as a flight hazard on maps. The same cable run was involved in a non-fatal helicopter crash in 1974. The cables have been in place since 1956 and have never been marked. For additional information about this crash, consult the National Transportation Safety Board web site at https://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/query.asp - NTSB identification SEA04LA005.
photo of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial
Richard “Dick” Warren Black was honored on the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg, Maryland and was included in the USFA’s annual report Firefighter Fatalities in the United States.

Department information

Weyerhaeuser - Eugene Helicopter Operations
2600 State Street
Under contract to Oregon Department of Forestry
Salem, Oregon 97310

Chief: Marvin Brown

Age: 57
Rank: Pilot
Classification: Career
Incident date: October 14, 2003 10:45
Date of death: October 14, 2003
Cause of fatal injury: Struck By
Nature of fatal injury: Trauma
Activity type: Driving/Operating Vehicle/Apparatus
Emergency duty: No
Duty type: Other On-Duty
Fixed property use: Outdoor Property

Last updated: June 13, 2012