4 confirmed dead in Thursday copter crash

EASTON, Wash. – Steep terrain and occasional gusty winds hampered firefighters’ efforts against a wildfire sparked by a helicopter crash that claimed the lives of four people.

Authorities who reached the crash site Friday afternoon confirmed the pilot and three passengers died in Thursday’s crash. Crews recovered three of the bodies, but the fourth would not be recovered until today as the investigation continues, Kittitas County Undersheriff Clayton Myers said.

Meanwhile, 160 firefighters were battling the blaze, which stood at 485 acres Friday night, fire information officer Scott Crawford said.

The fire was burning in steep timber three miles south of Easton, about 60 miles east-southeast of Seattle on the east slope of the Cascade Range.

The topography of the crash site, including the steep terrain, poses several challenges for firefighters, Crawford said.

“We have one way in and one way out, which is a big safety challenge,” he said. “There’s going to be a super focus on safety in fighting this fire.”

The fire was not immediately threatening any buildings. An unoccupied cabin sits about a mile away.

Myers identified the pilot as Keiko Minakata of Classic Helicopter, a charter company based at Boeing Field in Seattle. She had been with the company since March 2005.

The flight was chartered by Robert Hagerman, of Marysville, owner of Formark Marketing Enterprises, a timber company in Everett. Hagerman and two potential timber buyers, South Korean nationals Hyun Song and Si Lee, also died in the crash.

Authorities responded to the crash shortly after 2 p.m. Thursday.

After climbing high enough to get a look, the nearest witnesses, about half a mile away, reported seeing the helicopter engulfed in flames as the fire spread.

The cause of the crash remained under investigation.