Date & Time:
Jun 27, 1998 at 2024 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-2 Neptune
Operator:
Registration:
N14835
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Fire fighting
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Silver City - Silver City
MSN:
148358
YOM:
1961
Flight number:
Tanker 08
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total hours on type:
291
Aircraft flight hours:
7815
Circumstances:
The airplane had made a dry pass on the fire zone, then circled around to make a second pass and release its load of 2,450 gallons of retardant. According to witnesses, the airplane struck trees while in a nose low, right wing low attitude. Upon ground impact, the airplane exploded and burned. Investigation revealed no evidence of preimpact airframe, engine, propeller, or flight control failure/malfunction. The first officer, an initial attack trainee pilot, was in the left seat and the captain was in the right seat. Toxicology tests of the first officer indicated 0.031 ug/ml brompheniramine, 0.011 ug/ml chlorpheniramine in kidney fluid, and 0.142 brompheniramine, 0.072 chlorpheniramine in liver fluid. Both medications are over-the-counter antihistamines with sedative effects.
Probable cause:
Failure of the copilot to maintain both lateral and vertical clearance from the trees, and failure of the captain to provide adequate supervision of the flight.
Final Report:
N14835.pdf98.56 KB
