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Posted on 07/30/2020 11:01:34 PM PDT by BenLurkin
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) spokeswoman told Fox News the accident occurred while the planes were fighting the Bishop Fire near Caliente, Nev., around 1 p.m.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead the investigation, and the NTSB will determine the probable cause of the crash.
Each plane had only the pilot aboard, authorities said.
The 500-acre wildfire started Wednesday in an area about 17 miles southwest of Caliente and 150 miles northeast of Las Vegas.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Sorry to hear about this loss. To the families, we thank these pilots for their service. Prayers up.
In a moment two men are dead and two families devastated....
it sometimes reminds one of how precious and fragile life is.
Prayers for the families and the men.
RIP heroes.
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been to Caliente....
Was it hot there?
If there is video, and there likely is, the “News” stations will put it into a nearly endless loop for weeks!
A few years ago I lost very good customers who were fire crew when a wing failed in flight. That was video I did not wish to see the first time, and certainly not every few minutes.
The “News” could not find enough excuse to play the footage.
Effing vultures eager to exploit tragedy for “Ratings”.
And folk seem perplexed that I no longer watch TV or movies?
The article says that the air tankers carry as much as 800 gallons of retardant. That sounds small, I lived in the neighborhood of a pilot who flew those missions in New Mexico. It was a converted Bomber, WWII vintage.
Very sad to lose pilots who fly such missions.
IMO plane crash video and CVRs should be public domain always. It might just save some lives.
As they were both single engine aircraft, that seems rather a large payload, at least 2.5 tonnes. I don’t think that there are many single engine ‘planes that can lift that load.
Yes, I searched for similar articles and found the description.
I’ve never seen a single engine plane used for this purpose. But, I’m not a pilot either. I do fly RC sailplanes.
From Comments on Fox’s coverage:
The AT-802 planes (basically modified crop dusters) are pretty primitive by today’s standards, so the pilots are basically flying by the seats of their pants with only what they can see visually to rely upon, and in a smokey fire accidents like this are prone to happen.
No matter if they work on trucks or airplanes firefighters are the bravest people.
Small planes can carry 800 gallons, BIG planes like the C-130 carry five pressurized fire retardant tanks with a total capacity of 2,700 US gallons (10,000 l; 2,200 imp gal) and associated equipment. The largest aerial firefighter ever used is a Boeing 747 aerial firefighter, known as the Global Supertanker, that can carry 19,600 US gallons (74,200 l) fed by a pressurized drop system. The Supertanker was deployed operationally for the first time in 2009, fighting a fire in Spain.
They also use converted DC-10’s. One has been working around Northern Nevada this Summer.
The Supertanker was caught up in Evergreen Internationals bankruptcy.
RIP.
There is nothing in that area worth a human life.
Right in the middle of nowhere.
C-130 Hercules?
PBY amphibians of WWII manufacture were used in fire-fighting for decades.
Effing vultures eager to exploit tragedy for “Ratings”.
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Too true.
I understand completely; for different circumstances. I grew up in New Orleans. I was in Katrina. Needless to say the 247 news loop of the devastation, along with the assholes disappointed NOLA survived & lecturing us about sea levels, was enough to drive one legit insane. Your mind simply cannot comprehend what is happening. You know it’s real but your mind cannot process it all.
To this day I cannot watch coverage of natural disasters; maybe 30 seconds or so. The human suffering is just too much to watch for me. And it brings back memories.
Funny thing; memory.
Yup. Marvelous machine. But the maintenance costs killed it. I think it was the last one flying.
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