Evergreen International's fire-fighting Boeing 747-100 Supertanker

You may have seen news clips on TV about the Very Large Aerial Tanker (VLAT) aircraft that are currently in use to fight the wildfires that are raging in California. These DC-10 and B-747 aircraft, operating under a supplemental type certificate, drop fire retardant material to assist in controlling large fires. They are operated by private companies under contract to the U.S. Forest Service.

One of those aircraft is the Boeing 747-100 Supertanker operated by Evergreen International. According to information provided by the company:

The multi-role B747 Supertanker is the largest tanker aircraft available today. With a payload of more than 20,000 gallons and a response time of 600 mph, it has more than eight times the drop capability and twice the speed of any other federal air tanker currently fighting fires. The Supertanker’s patented pressurized system has the capability to disperse product at high pressure for an overwhelming response, or disperse at the speed of falling rain in a single or several segmented drops. This pressurized system will also allow for drops at higher altitudes, creating a significant safety buffer and enabling the Supertanker to fight fires during the day and at night, when they are most vulnerable.

The video below shows some demonstration flights of Evergreen International's B747-100 Supertanker.

If the video does not play or display properly above, click here to view it on YouTube.

For more detailed information about both the B-747 and DC-10 tanker aircraft and their use in aerial fire suppression, see USFS Very Large Aerial Tanker Operational Test and Evaluation, a 24-page report ('pdf' file).

Fatal crash of Neptune Aviation Services P2V fire fighting aircraft near Reno

On Monday, September 1, 2008, a Lockheed P2V Neptune aircraft operated by Neptune Aviation Services crashed off the departure end of the runway at Reno Stead Airport in Nevada. According to a preliminary report released today by the FAA, the aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members on board were killed in the accident.

News reports say the accident happened shortly after 18:00 local time, just after the aircraft took off. The Reno Gazette-Journal quoted an FAA spokesman who said that "reports from witnesses suggest the tanker lost a piece of its engine or a wing before it caught fire and went down." The Gazette-Journal also reported that crash debris was scattered over five acres, and the fire from the crash burned about two acres.

The aircraft (registration number N4235T) belonged to Neptune Aviation Services of Missoula, MT. It was operating under contract to the U.S. Forest Service. Earlier in the day, it had participated in firefighting activities in the Sierra Nevada, dropping fire retardant on a wildfire south of Lake Tahoe. News reports say that the aircraft had been fueled just before the accident, and was carrying a full load of fire retardant intended for a second fire.

UPDATE Sep. 4, 2008: The Washoe County Coroner’s Office in Nevada has identified the crew members who perished in the Neptune Aviation Services accident as Calvin Gene Wahlstrom, 61, of Huntsville, UT; Gregory Jess Gonsioroski, 41, of Baker,MT; and Zachary Jake Vander-Griend, 25, Missoula, MT. Condolences to the families, colleagues and friends of these men.

UPDATE Sep. 8, 2008: A preliminary factual report about the Neptune accident has been released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Here is an excerpt from the NTSB report:

An air tanker base employee who witnessed the accident reported observing the airplane taxi to Runway 32 "...and everything appeared normal." The witness reported watching the airplane takeoff, and at an elevation estimated to be between 100 to 300 feet above the ground, he observed the left jet engine emitting flames, followed by the left wing being engulfed in flames. The witness further reported that about 2 seconds later the airplane entered a left wing down attitude before impacting terrain and bursting into flames.

The National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge (IIC), accompanied by representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the United States Department of Forestry, and representatives from Neptune Aviation Services, Inc., responded to the accident site on September 2, 2008. The initial onsite examination revealed that about 500 feet from the departure end of Runway 32, several identifiable pieces of the airplane's left jet engine were located.

It was also revealed that prior to impacting terrain the airplane had collided with a set of powerlines, estimated to be about 50 feet high. An initial ground impact scar was observed about 25 feet west of the powerlines, followed by the airplane's energy path proceeding in a westerly direction, covering a measured distance of about 755 feet on a magnetic heading of 250 degrees. The damage assessment also revealed that the airplane had sustained significant fragmentation and thermal damage throughout the debris path. [NTSB ID: SEA08GA194]

The NTSB says that the airplane will be recovered to a secure location for further examination.

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U.S. Forest Service fire fighters feared killed in California helicopter crash

A Sikorsky S-61N helicopter carrying U.S. Forest Service fire fighters has crashed in northern California. The accident occurred at about 7:30 p.m. PDT last night, August 5, 2008. According to an FAA preliminary report about the accident, the helo had two crew members and 11 passengers on board. A media advisory about the crash issued today by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) says that of the 13 people believed to be on board, four suffered serious injuries, while nine are unaccounted for and are presumed to be fatally injured.

The NTSB says that the rotorcraft crashed during takeoff in a remote wooded area about 35 miles northwest of Redding, CA, and that a fire ensued. A U.S. Forest Service statement about the crash, issued last evening, noted that the helicopter was assigned to the Iron Complex on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. It crashed on the north end of the Buckhorn Fire, approximately 15 miles northwest of Junction City, Calif.

A follow-up statement issued by the U.S. Forest Service a short time ago confirmed that the helo was shuttling fire crews, and said:

Four fire personnel were airlifted to Mercy Medical Center and arrived at approximately 9:30 p.m. Two fire personnel, one of which is the pilot of the helicopter, were air lifted to UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. This morning at about 8 a.m. a third individual was air lifted to UC Davis Medical Center.

The Forest Service stated that the person identified as a pilot is in "serious condition."

The FAA and the NTSB reported the registration number of the rotorcraft as N612AZ. FAA records list the craft's registered owner as Carson Helicopters, Inc. of Grants Pass, OR. The U.S. Forest Service confirmed today that the helicopter was operating under contract, and was owned by Carson Helicopters.

The NTSB has dispatched a "Go Team" to investigate the accident.

UPDATE Aug. 15, 2008: The NTSB has issued an update on the progress of the investigation of this crash, saying the on-site phase of the investigation has ended, but the investigation is ongoing.

Excerpt from today's NTSB press advisory:

The helicopter had taken on fuel immediately before the sortie that included the accident flight. Fuel samples from the truck that serviced the aircraft have been obtained and will be tested.

Interviews with firefighters who witnessed the accident have concluded. They consistently reported that the helicopter lifted off slower than they would have expected before striking trees and crashing more than 100 yards from the lift off point.

The helo's cockpit voice recorder (CVR) was recovered but had sustained heat damage that prevented data extraction by the usual methods. It is being sent to the manufacturer in England for further analysis.

Nine of the 13 individuals who were aboard the accident aircraft were killed.