Fire fighting

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

9 6 014 04

YOM:

1969

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was engaged in a fire fighting mission and its crew just landed on the Don River to perform a scooping mission when it collided with a flock of birds that struck the right engine. The aircraft veered to the right and came to rest on the shore. All four crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Birdstrike.

Crash of a Grumman TS-2F Tracker in Columbia: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 19, 1992 at 1613 LT

Type of aircraft:

Grumman S-2 Tracker

Operator:

Registration:

N451DF

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Columbia - Columbia

MSN:

548

YOM:

1958

Flight number:

Tanker 92

Location:

Columbia

California

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot departed Columbia Airport on a fire fighting mission. After the retardant was dropped on the fire zone, the pilot increased engine power to gain height when the aircraft, flying in reduced visibility due to smoke, collided with trees. It rolled to the left and crashed inverted, bursting into flames. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Probable cause:

The pilot was approaching the fire area at an insufficient altitude according to the published procedures of the operator. The pilot's field of vision was probably reduced by the presence of smoke and that when starting the resource, the pilot failed to see the trees struck by the airplane a few seconds later. Despite the fact that no technical failure was found on the aircraft, this assumption was not ruled out.

Crash of a Canadair CL-215-1A10 near San Massimo: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 6, 1991 at 1455 LT

Type of aircraft:

Canadair CL-215

Operator:

Registration:

I-CFSV

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Genoa - Genoa

MSN:

1077

YOM:

1983

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a fire fighting mission in the Piana Crixia Regional Park, Liguria. After the load of water was dropped, the crew lost control of the airplane that crashed on a mountain slope located near San Massimo, about 29 km northwest of Savona. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty as investigations were hampered because the aircraft was not equipped with a CVR. At the time of the accident, the copilot was the pilot-in-command and was under training in order to be promoted as captain.

Crash of a Canadair CL-215-1A10 near Chute des Passes: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 19, 1991 at 1505 LT

Type of aircraft:

Canadair CL-215

Operator:

Registration:

C-GFQA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Landing (descent or approach)

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

1091

YOM:

1986

Flight number:

Tanker 236

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While flying at low height on a fire fighting mission, Tanker 236 struck tree tops, rolled to the right and crashed in a wooded area. Both pilots were killed.

Crash of an Antonov AN-26LP in Nyurba

Date & Time: Nov 2, 1990

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-26

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-26038

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Yakutsk - Nyurba

MSN:

97308002

YOM:

1979

Location:

Nyurba

Republic of Yakutia (Sakha)

Country:

Russia

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed on landing for unknown reasons. There were no casualties. This AN-26LP version was used as fire fighting aircraft.

Crash of a Lockheed P-2H Neptune near Lake Wynoochee: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 29, 1990 at 1359 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed P-2 Neptune

Operator:

Black Hills Aviation

Registration:

N65170

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

826-8025

YOM:

1959

Flight number:

Tanker 08

Location:

Wynoochee Lake

Washington

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

A Cessna 172N registered N738AQ crashed in the Olympic National Forest earlier that day and a fire erupted. The crew was dispatched in the region of Lake Wynoochee to proceed in a fire fighting mission. After the retardant was dropped, the crew initiated a climb when control was lost and the aircraft crashed in a wooded area located near the Wynoochee Dam. Both pilots were killed.

Crash of a Grumman S-2F-1 Tracker in Calenzana: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 24, 1990

Type of aircraft:

Grumman S-2 Tracker

Operator:

Registration:

F-ZBAT

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Calvi - Calvi

MSN:

YOM:

1957

Flight number:

Pélican 03

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot departed Calvi-Sainte Catherine Airport on a fire fighting mission in the Balagne region. While flying at low height and fighting a fire, the twin engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located near Calenzana. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Probable cause:

The aircraft was caught by strong downdraft.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 600 near La Grand-Combe: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 4, 1989 at 1721 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fokker F27 Friendship

Operator:

Registration:

C-GSFS

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Aubenas - Aubenas

MSN:

10473

YOM:

1972

Flight number:

Pélican 27

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

8053

Aircraft flight cycles:

8886

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft, departed Aubenas-Vals-Lanas Airport on a firefighting mission on behalf of the French Sécurité Civile. While approaching the zone under fire at low height, the aircraft struck the ground and exploded. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was the result of loss of control in a presentation turn at a very low height. This loss of control was the result of an overly brutal maneuver by the crew because the airplane's position at the start of the presentation was wrong.
The following contributing factors were reported:
- Excessive workload for the captain,
- Different languages used between both flight crew members,
- Operational practices at the Sécutivé Civile that left too much improvisation over the drop zone,
_ Lack of visibility on short final.

Crash of a Grumman S-2 Tracker in Saint-Martin-Vésubie: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 18, 1989

Type of aircraft:

Grumman S-2 Tracker

Operator:

Registration:

F-ZBEG

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site: