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Bell 212 Helicopter Accident in British Columbia

Lillooet, British Columbia 20 nm S, CA

On August 14, 2009, a Bell 212 (Helicopter), C-GTKE operated by Elbow River Helicopters Limited was involved in an aviation accident near Lillooet, British Columbia 20 nm S, CA. One person was killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The combination of a steep approach, unknowingly conducted downwind at slow speed with power applied, likely caused the helicopter to enter a vortex ring state (VRS). This summary draws on records from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB).

Sourcesthe Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB)Primary reportUpdated 2026-10-18Data APIEditorial standards

A Bell 212 helicopter crashed into the Fraser River in British Columbia during firefighting operations. The pilot drowned after escaping the wreckage, and the accident was linked to vortex ring state and a dropped water bucket.

Accident Overview and Sequence of Events On a day with no recorded precipitation, a Bell 212 helicopter operated by Elbow River Helicopters Limited was conducting firefighting operations approximately 20 nautical miles south of Lillooet, British Columbia. The aircraft, registered as C-GTKE, was approaching the Fraser River to fill its water bucket. Shortly before reaching the designated pickup location, the helicopter descended unexpectedly. Its water bucket, suspended on a 150-foot longline, touched the fast-flowing river surface. As the helicopter continued forward, it dragged the bucket, which acted as an anchor. The aircraft subsequently pitched nose-down, yawed to the left, struck the water, broke up, and sank. The pilot escaped the wreckage and was found swimming in the current. Despite repeated rescue attempts by other helicopters in the area, the pilot was not recovered alive; his body was found downstream five days later. Most of the wreckage was not recovered, though the longline and bucket were retrieved.

Probable cause

The combination of a steep approach, unknowingly conducted downwind at slow speed with power applied, likely caused the helicopter to enter a vortex ring state (VRS). During the pilot's attempt to recover, the water bucket dropped into the flowing river and acted as an anchor, causing the helicopter to pitch nose-down and collide with the water.
Loss of control in flight

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