48-year-old Scott Ramsey of Auberry was driving the forklift on Vomac Road near the PG&E Balch Camp Hydroelectric facility at about 2 pm.
That's when one tire of the forklift vehicle went too far off the winding road and the vehicle overturned and went over.
Contractors with steep angle rescue training were working nearby, and they used ropes and climbing gear to pull Ramsey out from the wreckage. The victim was airlifted to Balch Camp, but died of his injuries.
The CHP says alcohol or drugs were not a factor in this collision and the incident was not related to any wildfire operations.