"Bravo Team's helicopter was a derelict, save for the remaining body of Kevin..." - S.T.A.R.S. Alpha Team Officer Chris Redfield
With the ample funding provided by Umbrella, the Raccoon City Police Department was able to purchase a small fleet of transport and utility helicopters as part of Mayor Michael Warrens' "A Bright 21st Century for Raccoon" campaign. Officer Kevin Dooley, a skilled aviation mechanic and accomplished stunt pilot, was hired by the R.P.D. to fly the department's single-engine Eurocopter AS 350B-2 Ecureuil (marketed in North America as the AStar). He was also certified to operate the Bell Textron UH-1B "Huey" models used by the Special Tactics and Rescue Service. During his time with the force, Kevin had been instrumental in helping the members of S.T.A.R.S. rescue numerous civilians from dangerous situations in the dense forests and rocky peaks of the Arklay Mountains, and despite his past in the entertainment industry, took his responsibility as an R.P.D pilot very seriously.
History
On the night of Thursday, July 23, 1998, Officer Dooley was assigned to the S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team during their initial reconnaissance mission over the Arklay Mountain National Forest, serving as co-pilot alongside Flight Officer Edward Dewey. At approximately 22:00 hours, the helicopter's engine experienced a sudden catastrophic failure, and the crew was forced into making an emergency landing. Struggling with the cyclic control stick and anti-torque pedals, Kevin and Edward managed to keep the bird aloft until the tail rotor collided with a massive tree branch, sending the helicopter into a violent spin. Miraculously, the pair were still able to bring the battered helicopter down in one piece.
Once the dust had settled, Officer Dooley opted to stay behind with the helicopter while the rest of the team moved off to investigate the surrounding area. Rookie S.T.A.R.S. Officer Rebecca Chambers was likely the last person to see Kevin Dooley alive. Before exiting the aircraft, she had flashed him a quick "thumbs-up" sign. Kevin, who was still wearing his Gentex SPH-5 flight helmet, responded by raising his right hand in a crisp military salute. It would turn out to be his final farewell gesture.
On Friday, July 24, 1998, members of the S.T.A.R.S. Alpha Team finally arrived on scene. Officer Joseph Frost was the first individual to enter the now derelict helicopter. After prying open the side cargo hatch, he discovered that all of the windows had been shattered, and that a large gaping hole had been punched in through the front windshield. Noticing blood spatter on the instrument panel, he immediately swung his gun-mounted flashlight around and aimed it directly into the cockpit. What he saw there was enough to turn the stomach of even this battle-hardened former U.S. Navy SEAL. The pilot's pale, bloodless head lolled back lifelessly against the chair, his left eye gouged out by the raking claws of the many Cerberus B.O.W.s roaming the forest. Ironically, it was Officer Frost himself who would discover the awful truth behind Kevin's premature demise when he was savagely mauled by a pack of infected canines just moments after exiting the ill-fated Bravo Team helicopter.