AIN Staff

The crew of a forward fire controller aircraft orbiting the recent Dog Rock fire in Yosemite National Park said the <a href="http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ainsafety/2014-10-13/california-tanker-fleet-flying-again">Cal Fire-operated S-2F3AT tanker that crashed October 7</a> might have collided with a tree before it struck the ground, according to the NTSB preliminary accident report. The accident killed the pilot, and post-impact fire destroyed the aircraft.

 


The S-2T, call sign “Tanker 81,” was maneuvering VFR near El Portal, Calif., at 4:30 p.m. when the accident happened. The tanker had arrived on scene earlier, made one drop on the fire and then proceeded to Columbia Airport to be reloaded with fire retardant.

 


Upon returning to the fire, the accident airplane coordinated its next drop with the orbiting fire controller and was following the lead aircraft when it crashed. The crew of the lead airplane did not see the accident.

 


Cal Fire operates the tanker fleet under contract to the National Parks Service. The tanker was based at Hollister airbase when it was dispatched, according to a Forest Service spokesman.

Fire Tanker Might Have Struck Tree

Details of the Oct 7 crash were published in last week’s preliminary NTSB report.

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