Date & Time:
Jun 19, 1992 at 1613 LT
Type of aircraft:
Grumman S-2 Tracker
Operator:
Registration:
N451DF
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Fire fighting
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Columbia - Columbia
MSN:
548
YOM:
1958
Flight number:
Tanker 92
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
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.
