An Oregon jury ruled Tuesday a problem with an engine was responsible for the 2008 crash of a helicopter that killed nine firefighters during a wildfire in Northern California, including Scott Charlson, a 2001 graduate of Lifegate Christian School in Eugene.

Investigators are about to announce why a chopper full of firefighters fell from the sky in 2008, killing nine people, including Eugene native Scott Charlson. His mom, Nina, sat down with KVAL News before she left for Washington D.C.

As dusk approached, the Sikorsky helicopter touched down near the front lines of a forest fire on Aug. 5, 2008. Next Tuesday, investigators will report on why the helicopter crashed moments after takeoff, killing nine of the 13 men on board.

The co-pilot of a helicopter ferrying firefighters implored "Fly darlin', fly darlin', fly darlin', fly darlin ..."' as the chopper lost power and fell out of the air last year. Nine of 13 people aboard were killed. Seven were from Oregon, including a Eugene man.

Relatives of two contract firefighters killed in a helicopter crash in Northern California last summer have filed lawsuits against the aircraft's owner, manufacturers and a company that performed maintenance.

The family of a firefighter who grew up in Eugene and was killed last month in a Northern California helicopter crash has filed a wrongful death suit in Shasta County, Calif.

Family members, friends and fellow firefighters have paid their respects to a Southern Oregon University student who died fighting fires to earn college money and become a sports journalist.

Oregonians are remembering the firefighters killed last week in the crash of a helicopter in Northern California. A memorial service for 25-year-old Scott Charlson is planned in Eugene on Monday morning.

Witnesses of a fiery helicopter accident that killed nine people told investigators the aircraft had lifted off more slowly than normal before it struck a tree and crashed in a remote Northern California forest, officials said Friday.

Scott Charlson, who graduated from Lifegate Christian School, was about ready to look for another way to pay for his last year in college after his first two weeks as a firefighter. "Then he just grew up and decided, 'I can do this,' " his father said.

"The love that my family and I have for my Brother is un-expressible, and to be able to tell everyone about this amazing man makes this situation at least somewhat liveable," Jake Carlson wrote of his brother, Scott Charlson.

Ten firefighters from Oregon were on board when a helicopter went down near Junction City, Calif., on Aug. 5. Three of the 10 survived and are still hospitalized. Seven of the firefighters are missing and are presumed to have perished in the crash.