The helicopter that crashed while battling the Gold Mountain fire is set to be recovered from Silver Jack Reservoir on Tuesday.
The K-MAX helicopter went down in the reservoir near Gunnison on July 12, killing pilot Nicholas Dale. A spokesperson with the National Transportation Safety Board, one of the agencies charged with investigating the incident, A spokesperson with the National Transportation Safety Board, one of the agencies charged with investigating the incident, said the wreckage would be pulled from the reservoir Tuesday, using a helicopter if needed.
Once removed from the water, the aircraft will be trailered more than 300 miles to Greeley to undergo investigation into the accident.
The investigation is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. A preliminary report from the Federal Aviation Administration found that the crash occurred under “unknown circumstances” and that the helicopter became “inverted” in the reservoir.
Dale, meanwhile, was honored Monday with a procession from Montrose to Denver. The 56-year-old pilot was from British Colombia, Canada. His death was the fourth this year for firefighters in Colorado.
The Gold Mountain fire is 13% contained and has burned more than 38,000 acres near the towns of Ouray and Ridgway.
Editor's note: This story was updated to include further details on how the helicopter will be recovered.
