Copter Blaze Blamed on Fire-Starter Device

A federal report released Wednesday confirms that a machine dispensing incendiary devices sparked a fire that destroyed a Ventura County sheriff’s helicopter a year ago, but the report does not assign blame.

The National Transportation Safety Board report does, however, raise questions about training programs for the sheriff’s aviation unit. A final report further detailing the cause of the accident will be released in coming months.

The sheriff’s $1.1-million helicopter went up in flames last June after being used to help start a controlled burn aimed at clearing 500 acres of brush in Cheeseboro Canyon near the Ventura County line.

The report from the National Transportation Safety Board said the sheriff’s deputy assigned to operate an aerial ignition device aboard the copter had reloaded it with flammable balls and turned the operating switch on just before flames broke out beneath the belly of the Bell 206L-3 helicopter.

The report notes that the overall power source for the ignition device was controlled by pilot Chris Spangenberg. Spangenberg told investigators he had not known that crew chief Jeff Lawrence had reloaded the device.

While the report fails to address the issue, Spangenberg said in an interview that he did not push the button that controls the device after flying out of the 500-acre burn area.

While not assigning blame, the report notes neither Lawrence nor Spangenberg had used the incendiary device in flight before the day of the accident.

The Sheriff’s Department does not have a formal program to train deputies on use of the device, the report said.

Lawrence’s training consisted of four to six hours of instruction in 1991, an observation flight in 1992 and a review the day before the June 30, 1993, flight.

A training manual developed by the U.S. Forest Service recommends six to eight hours of training on the device, in-flight operation of the unit and a written test, according to the NTSB report.

Sgt. Earl Matthews of the sheriff’s aviation unit said future classes on use of the ignition device will be taught by Forest Service instructors. He said the unit has always been safety-conscious, but did not keep detailed records on training and did not have a formal training program.

“We’ve needed it for a long time and this has been the impetus that’s gotten us moving,” he said.