Incident Description: FS Employees John Greeno and Charles Edgar and Brainard Helicopter Pilot Jose Gonzales were assigned aerial operations at a prescribed burn in the Sabine National Forest in Texas. The crew staffed a helicopter that was assigned to drop plastic ignition spheres from a low altitude. During the first flight of the day, the sphere ejection machine jammed and the helicopter returned to base. The machine was repaired, and the helicopter and crew left to resume their mission. Six minutes after their departure, a helicopter crew member reported that sphere firing was beginning. Two minutes later, a distress call was received from the helicopter. The aircraft crashed into a heavily wooded area and all 3 occupants were killed.
https://wlfalwaysremember.net/2005/03/10/john-greeno/
https://apps.usfa.fema.gov/firefighter-fatalities/fatalityData/detail?fatalityId=3126