Eurocopter France AS332L1 accident near Wawona, California, September 20, 2026
On September 20, 2026 at about 9:55 pm local time, a Eurocopter France AS332L1, registered N332N, was involved in an accident during maneuvering near Wawona, California. It was a firefighting flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 2026 · about 9:55 pm local time
- Place
- Wawona, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter France AS332L1 · all AS332L1s on the register
- Registration
- N332N · registry record
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Firefighting flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Unknown or undetermined during maneuvering defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during enroute (descent)
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Valiair Limited Company Trustee
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 9 knots, gusting 16
- Sky: clear
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR26FA346.