S-2T air tanker pilot died after it crashed while trying to control a wildfire at Yosemite National Park on Tuesday. According to Daniel Berlant, the spokesperson of Cal Fire, the tanker was being used to help in battling Dog Rock Fire when the authorities suddenly lost contact with its pilot on Tuesday afternoon.
Ian Gregor, the spokesperson of Federal Aviation Administration, said that the plane, which only had one pilot on board, crashed near the park's entrance.
The family of the pilot requested that his name be withheld pending the notification of their other relatives.
A video from KCRA, an affiliate of CNN, showed a clip that showed thick smoke and flames rising from what looked like a tree-lined ridge in a remote valley. A helicopter is also seen dropping water on the blaze before leaving the scene.
The S-2T air tanker that crashed is only one of the few aircrafts that Cal Fire deploys in order to battle wildfires in the area. Cal Fire has stated that it purchased 26 S-2T air tankers from the US Department of Defense in 1996 and installed them with "modern, powerful turbo-prop engines" that made them even "faster, safer, and more maneuverable."
The air tanker reportedly crashed "under unknown circumstances," said Gregor, who is the FAA spokesperson. Investigators from both the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA are expected to arrive on site on Wednesday morning to start the investigation regarding the recent crash.
The Dog Rock Fire was first reported around 2:45 p.m. It reportedly started between the boundary of the park and the Arch Rock entrance station.
Kari Cobb, the spokesperson of Yosemite National Park, stated, nearly two hours later, that the fire had burned approximately 130 acres and that it was "0% contained." "We don't know what started it," she said.
All but a few of the S-2T air tankers have been equipped with a payload of retardant to douse the flames. They are now reportedly being used state-wide.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
