Firefighting Floatplane Crashes In Montana, Pilot Killed

An amphibious-float-equipped firefighting aircraft crashed Wednesday (July 10) afternoon, killing the pilot. According to sheriff’s office reports from Lewis and Clark County, the Air Tractor AT-802 FireBoss hit a mountainside and crashed into Hauser Lake while fighting a fire at Horse Gulch northeast of Helena, Montana.

The county sheriff, Leo Dutton, told local news outlets the pilot was identified as 45-year-old Juliana Turchetti, a Brazilian native operating with a working visa. She was employed by Idaho-based Dauntless Air, identified as a company with more than 25 years’ experience in aerial firefighting. Dauntless has state and federal contracts, including with the Idaho Department of Lands. Its services were on loan to the U.S. Forest Service to fight the Horse Gulch fire.

Dauntless Air released a statement this afternoon, reading, in part:

“We regret to share that a Dauntless Air aerial firefighting aircraft working to control the Horse Gulch fire in Helena, Montana, yesterday afternoon was involved in an accident that resulted in the loss of the pilot’s life. We are deeply saddened and our hearts and condolences are with Juliana’s family and friends. No one in the surrounding area was injured.”