The aircraft you are referring to was an S-61R, actually operated by the same operator, Helipro, that has the BK-117 and UH-1H over on the fires.
The guy that was flying it when it took a crapper was Garry Mahoney, who is also on the fires flying one of John McDermotts Bell 205s.
Helipro used it for logging down on the West Coast of the South Island. From what I remember Garry had a hydraulics problem with it, some sort of uncommanded bounch and it ended up in the bottom of the dry river bed, right way up but minus a lot of parts. Pilot and Co got out OK.
Pac Rotors