The air tanker that crashed was one of 10 aircraft the National Interagency Fire Center approved last Monday to return to the firefighting fleet, saying it would monitor them closely for signs of fatigue. The 10 included seven of Aero Union’s P-3 Orions. Two fatal crashes in 2002 led to the grounding of large air tankers that year. The NTSB noted in a press release on Thursday that it had issued five recommendations last year to the Department of Agriculture, the Department of the Interior and the FAA as a result of several accidents involving structural failure of firefighting aircraft, while noting that it is unknown at this time if the Chico accident is related to structural failure.
…Amid Dwindling Resources
Key Takeaways:
- An air tanker, part of a fleet recently approved by the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) to return to service after a previous grounding in 2002, crashed.
- The NIFC had approved 10 aircraft, including seven Aero Union P-3 Orions, to rejoin the firefighting fleet, stating they would be closely monitored for signs of fatigue.
- The NTSB had previously issued five recommendations regarding structural failure in firefighting aircraft, though it is currently unknown if this incident is related.
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