Military officials have identified the Camp Pendleton-based pilot and California native killed in a helicopter crash last week.

Maj. Tyler R. Braconi, 35, died when an AH-1Z Viper carrying two crew members crashed Thursday evening during routine training for the Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course near an unpopulated area of Imperial Gables.

The flight had departed from Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton and experienced an “aviation mishap” near the California-Arizona border, officials said.

Assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 369, Marine Aircraft Group 39 and 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Braconi commissioned in 2012, was promoted to major in 2022 and previously served with HMLA-267 and as an exchange pilot with the Australian Army.

Braconi’s decorations incl

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