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The remains of four firefighters were flown to Weaverville, California, on Aug. 10, 2008. An honor guard, including a bagpiper, comprised of personnel from around the region received the remains. These were the last remains to be brought out from the helicopter crash that killed nine. Four firefighters survived the crash in northern California.

(Stephanie Yao Long/The Oregonian/2008)

A former vice president of Carson Helicopters pleaded guilty on Monday to defrauding the U.S. Forest Service in a firefighting contract tied to a 2008 helicopter crash that killed nine near Weaverville, California.

Steven Metheny, a 44-year-old resident of Medford, acknowledged in U.S. District Court that he conspired to commit mail and wire fraud and made false statements to procure wild-land firefighting contracts, according to the U.S. attorney's office for Oregon. A single conspiracy conviction carries a potential 20-year prison sentence.

In a five-page plea agreement letter dated Oct. 31, Metheny noted that he submitted false empty-helicopter weights to the Forest Service that helped Carson win contracts.

"Submitting false information about helicopter payload capabilities in the bid process both defrauded the Forest Service and created a reckless risk of harm to those who used the information in firefighting operations," said U.S. Attorney Amanda Marshall in a news statement.

A Sikorsky S-61N helicopter flown by Carson took off at 7:41 p.m. on Aug. 5, 2008, weighing 19,008 pounds -- 3,168 more than recommended for safe flight and 563 heavier than the maximum allowable weight, investigators later determined.

The chopper, leaving a refueling run during the Iron 44 wild-land blaze, clipped a treetop during takeoff and smashed into a hillside, killing the pilot, a Forest Service inspector pilot and seven Oregon-based firefighters. Four others were injured.

The firefighters worked for Grayback Forestry in the southern Oregon town of Merlin.

The crash has been called the worst air disaster involving on-duty firefighters in U.S. history.

Metheny's sentencing was set for the morning of March 2, 2015, before U.S. District Judge Owen M. Panner.

Levi Phillips, Carson Helicopter's former director of maintenance, pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and is set for sentencing on Feb. 2.

-- Bryan Denson