What happened
On September 1, 2012, a Sikorsky SH-3H helicopter, registration N611CK, was conducting firefighting operations in the vicinity of Covelo, California. During a two-hour period, the crew performed several water drops on an active fire. While performing a second drop in steep terrain, the aircraft was operating approximately 1,000 feet lower in elevation than the lake used as the water source.
At the time of the incident, smoke reduced visibility to approximately 1/2 mile. During the maneuver, all five main rotor blades struck a snag, which consisted of the remaining trunk and branches of a tree. The operator noted that the color of the snag was very similar to the surrounding smoke. Following the impact, the senior pilot took control of the aircraft, climbed, and completed an uneventful landing near the fill point. There were no injuries resulting from the event.