Pilot Fatally Injured In The Accident

The pilot of an S-2T air tanker fighting the Dog Rock Fire in Yosemite National Park in California was fatally injured Tuesday when the plane went down.

The Los Angeles Times reports that authorities lost contact with the pilot while he was battling the blaze. The wreckage was discovered on an escarpment at an altitude of 2,500 feet near the park's west entrance. The pilot, who has not been identified, was declared dead at the scene.

Daniel Berlant, a spokesman for the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said that it is believed that the pilot was the only person on board the aircraft. He reportedly worked for DynCorp, which performs maintenance on the Cal Fire's airplanes.

The fire had just recently broken out, and the aircraft was one of a handful fighting the fire, according to the report.

Cal Fire reportedly acquired the S-2T aircraft as surplus from the Department of Defense. They had been used as submarine hunters before being retired from military service. The planes flown by Cal Fire have been retrofitted with turboprop engines, and can carry up to 1,200 pounds of fire retardants. Cal Fire reportedly has 23 of the aircraft operated by the McLean, VA company, which also provides the pilots.

According to the Cal Fire website, the agency acquired 26 Grumman S-2E/G planes from the Department of Defense in 1996. Cal Fire had the aircraft converted to a fire-fighting configuration. The aircraft are used for fast initial attack delivery of fire retardant on wildland fires.

(Image provided by Cal Fire)

FMI: www.fire.ca.gov