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| Date: | Friday 22 May 2015 |
| Time: | 16:30 LT |
| Type: |  Air Tractor AT-802A Fire Boss |
| Owner/operator: | Conair Aerial Firefighting |
| Registration: | C-FDHV |
| MSN: | 802A-0348 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2009 |
| Engine model: | Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67F |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 40km N of Cold Lake (CYOD), AB -
 Canada
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Fire fighting |
| Departure airport: | |
| Investigating agency: | TSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The Conair amphibious float-equipped Air Tractor AT-802A Fire Boss, C-FDHV, was operating as Tanker 692 in support of wildfire management operations 25 nautical miles northwest of Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada.
Tanker 692 was the last in a formation of four AT-802A Fire Boss aircraft followed by two CL-415 aircraft being operated by Conair. Tanker 692 had completed 2 drops on the fire, from west to east, with a turnout to the north. When exiting its third drop, Tanker 692 encountered severe turbulence and then pitched to a nose-up attitude. The aircraft climbed to approximately 400–500 feet above ground level, where it rolled to the left and entered a nose-down attitude. It struck the ground right-wing low and close to nose-level at 16:30 local time. The pilot was fatally injured as a result of non-survivable impact forces. There was no post-impact fire.
Findings as to causes and contributing factors
- The aircraft encountered a fire whirl, causing it to enter an undesired nose-up attitude, resulting in a loss of control.
- The aircraft's low operating altitude made recovery improbable, resulting in impact with terrain.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://globalnews.ca/news/2013456/small-forest-fighting-plane-crashes-in-near-cold-lake/
https://www.facebook.com/AlbertaWildfireInfo
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/plane-crashes-east-of-lac-la-biche-alberta-1.3085061
http://calgarysun.com/2015/05/23/pilot-dead-after-water-bomber-battling-wildfire-near-cold-lake-crashes-friday-afternoon/wcm/67db51c8-fd52-4b70-9280-5a9567f3633b
http://conair.ca/conair_fleet/air-tractor-at-802
http://fireaviation.com/2015/05/23/pilot-killed-in-alberta-air-tanker-crash/
Location
Images:
Photo: TSB Canada
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 23-May-2015 05:24 | Geno | Added |
| 23-May-2015 15:20 | gerard57 | Updated [Total fatalities, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 23-May-2015 15:41 | Geno | Updated [Time, Source, ] |
| 24-May-2015 11:36 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Location, Source, Damage, Narrative, ] |
| 24-May-2015 15:30 | Aerossurance | Updated [Location, ] |
| 27-May-2015 07:23 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, ] |
| 27-May-2015 10:51 | Anon. | Updated [Cn, ] |
| 14-Dec-2021 20:39 | Anon. | Updated [Aircraft type, ] |
| 14-Dec-2021 20:46 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, Location, Phase, Narrative, Accident report, ] |
| 14-Dec-2021 20:47 | harro | Updated [Photo, ] |
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