AT-802A Went Down While Fighting Fire

A tanker pilot was rescued Tuesday after his aircraft (type shown at right) went down while fighting a wildfire in northern Nevada.

According to Jamie Thompson, spokesperson for the US Bureau of Land Management, the AT-802A tanker pilot was extricated from the wreckage by ground firefighters, He was transported to a local hospital where he was treated and released, he said.

"Other than being pretty well soaked with slurry and aviation fuel, he was OK," Thompson said. "They cleaned him up and sent him home."

The aircraft was under contract from Missoula-based Minuteman Aerial Application at the time of the accident.

Nellie Lynn, executive assistant for the company, said the man was an experienced tanker pilot, but declined to identify him, according to the Associated Press.

"He walked away from it in pretty good shape," Lynn said.

It is still not clear under what conditions the tanker went down.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 806MA        Make/Model: AT8T      Description: AT-802A AIR TRACTOR
  Date: 07/17/2007     Time: 0241

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Serious     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: WINNEMUCCA   State: NV   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED DURING FIRE FIGHTING OPERATION, 20 MILES FROM WINNEMUCCA,
  NV

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   0     Ser:   1     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: NOT REPORTED

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Pleasure      Phase: Unknown      Operation: OTHER

  FAA FSDO: RENO, NV  (WP11)                      Entry date: 07/18/2007

FMI: www.faa.gov