Air Tanker down at Stead (4SD) Crew Lost

[cg51]

Just got off the phone with my dad who is out at stead, Looks as if there were no survivors, If i get more details i will post:(
http://www.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articl ... eakingnews

[Thomas]

Thoughts and prayers to the crew and family

[The Inspector]

what Thomas just said-

[rwdfresno]

Three People Dead in Stead Air Tanker Crash

Posted: Sep 1, 2008 06:38 PM
Arash Mosaleh
Channel 2 News


Three people died Monday night when their Lockheed P2V air tanker crashed right after takeoff near the Reno-Stead Airport.

Steve Frady, a Reno Fire Department spokesman, says the plane was on its way to battle a wild fire in Inyo County, California and had just finished refueling and loading up on fire retardant before it crashed around 6 p.m. Monday.

The plane and crew had arrived at Stead after fighting the Burnside Fire in Hope Valley, California.

Watch Channel 2 News at 11pm for a full report.

A little more... Sad news, God bless their families.

[muddyboots]

This is why I say guys like this are the real heros. They put their lives on the line every day, and never get to shoot back. But they make so much more of a difference than I ever did. At least they lived for the greater good. Can't hope for much more than that.

The best heros are the ones who never get the applause.

[gary1954]

I read this and my first responce was * * * * (yeah, it rhymes with truck), followed by; OMG, those poor souls and their families, gone and changed in an instant.
I think It takes a lotta guts to fly plane over a fire into canyons, and ya just pray that she holds together and gets you out.
I have never flown on a sure-nuff dangerous fire bombing mission or any fire bombing mission for that matter, but I imagine that there is often time quite a pucker factor. I hope that they were in the right state of soul...

Last edited by gary1954 on Tue Sep 02, 2008 11:46 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Robbie Stuart]

Stories like this just break my heart. As Muddy said those really are true heros. I have never been directly involved with "air attack", but have lost friends out there trying protect others & their properties from fires. One of which some of you old CAFer's, may remember was Carl Payne. Carl was lost IIRC when he snagged an antenna guy wire trying to save a ranch house from a wild fire. Carl used to fly the "Red Nose" P-51, & Buchon, doing a da-n fine job at it. I thank these guys for the job they do, & my thoughts & prayers go out to the lost crew, their families, & friends.
Robbie

[K5DH]

How terribly sad. I've always felt that the Air Attack flight crews are among the bravest aircrews in the world. And, like most other firefighters, they are largely unheralded, just being referred to in the media as if they were merely nameless worker bees. "Outsiders" really have no idea how dangerous the Air Attack crews' job really is. Godspeed to the lost airmen and their families and friends.

With a heavy heart,

[Hal B]

Bad news

Our thoughts are with the families and friends of the crew...

[Bill Greenwood]

We had a very sad loss of 15 firefighters at Glenwood Springs, about 45 miles northwest of Aspen about 10 years ago. They were on the ground in the hills or small mountains just outside town when a cold front came through and the wind picked up and shifted and trapped them. Their only way out was to run uphill through brush in hot air about 1/4 mile to the top of the ridge. Only a couple made it over, and the fire did not follow them. Most were found in a group about 100 yards below the top. We hiked up there the next summer and saw the crosses.

Two other facts made this even more tragic. First, it could and should have been avoided. The fire was not large, and the weather was mild, but the forecast was for a small cold front to come through. Virtually every private pilot learns or should learn, that the one sure sign of frontal passage is a shift in wind direction, frequently speed as well. This was a small front and there was plenty of warning, as it didn't even hit until mid afternoon. But the management had not taken notice, and had left these young men and women there without a safe escape route. We were at my Son's baseball game 5 miles away when filled with smoke and soot and turned dark. I recall some hope expressed for them when they were first missing, but somehow I new they were lost. Also the few homes on the edge of town that were in danger were not very expensive and had no historic value, certainly not worth endangering lives for.

[Ztex]

Sad day. Our Prayers go out the crew and their families.

Neptune Tanker 09

N4235T

[muddyboots]

I just noticed this fire was in Inyo County. That's China Lake where I did my digs.

[Warbird Kid]

So sad. Again, I hope the families can find peace eventually. But not now. I cant imagine what they must be feeling.

Muddyboots, do ya think they may spot any big ole silver dinosaurs out there too?

[muddyboots]

I doubt it. The good stuff is in No Fly Zones. Ranges and the like. But you never know :0

[richkolasa]

This is very sad news. Thoughts and prayers to the families and friends of these REAL HEROES. God bless their souls.

Rich