Conair Tanker Down

[McPhoo]

Water bomber crashes fighting B.C. wildfires
Last Updated: Sunday, August 1, 2010 | 1:13 AM ET Comments96Recommend74
CBC News

A water bomber helping to battle more than 300 wildfires burning across B.C. has crashed south of Lytton in the Fraser Canyon.

Capt. Marguerite Dodds-Lepinski, the public affairs officer for the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Victoria, told the Canadian Press that it is believed two crew members were on board. Their fate is unknown.

The aircraft was reported down Saturday night just before nine o'clock, local time, about 15 kilometres south of Lytton, she said.

The crash came as a campfire ban continues across most of the province because of lightning-ignited wildfires that are devouring tinder-dry forests.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2010 ... z0vKTah7Ne


Sad news for sure..... Hoping for the best, fearing worst.

[nimbostratus]

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada ... 06239.html


VICTORIA - A waterbomber battling wildfires in the B.C. interior has crashed.
Captain Marguerite Dodds-Lepinski, the public affairs officer for the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Victoria, said the aircraft was reported down Saturday evening.
Dodds-Lepinski said the crash site was about 18 kilometres south of Lytton.
She said it was believed, but not confirmed, that the watertanker owned by Abbotsford-based Conair had two crewmembers on board. The fate of the air crew is currently unknown.
Dodds-Lepinki said one Cormorant rescue helicopter and one Buffalo fixed-wing aircraft from 19 Wing Comox on Vancouver Island had been dispatched to the crash site approximately 160 kilometres northeast of Vancouver.
Conair spokesman Rick Pedersen said that the crash occurred just after eight p.m. Pacific time and that investigators from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada would soon be headed to the site.
Pedersen, however, said he could not, at this time, release any information concerning the type of aircraft involved, or its crew.
As of Saturday 318 forest fires were burning across B.C., with the largest covering 25 square kilometres.
Air tankers hired by the B.C. Ministry of Forests, along with helicopters and heavy machinery are supporting upwards of 1,000 firefighters on the ground.
Residents are currently under evacuation order or alert in six areas in the Kamloops-area and the Cariboo region.
Due to the tinder dry conditions, a campfire ban extends across about 70 per cent of the province, with violators facing fines from $345 to $1 million and up to three years behind bars.

[Ogee]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/9200079

About 160 miles east of Vancouver. Two crew. No word yet.

[Phileas Fogg]

Oh no.

Brutal....

[loopy]

I received the sad phone call from the wife of one of the men killed just a short while ago. He was a friend, a collegue and my former boss. He will be deeply missed. My sincerest heartfelt condolences to family and friends. Blessings.

I know he was doing what he loves...and it still sucks and hurts.

[CLguy]

Received the call that you never want to receive this morning myself. I have known the Captain for over 20 years and have worked with him many times over the years. This industry has lost a great guy.

My condolences to all the families and coworkers at Conair. This truly is the dark side of this industry!

[lobo]

Fairwell BT. You go to join a very distinguished group of water bomber pilots who have went before you. Knowing you was a great pleasure and I will miss you being my right hand man. God speed my friend.

[Flybabe]

Wow - my condolences to family and friends, and to all those at Conair.

Blue skies..

[Localizer]

Anyone have any names on the two pilots? PM me if you wish.

[Phlyer]

Very sad - thoughts and prayers for these brave souls and their families and coworkers.

[flyinthebug]

I havent heard anything "official" as yet, but obviously some on the board have already rec`d the sad news. My condolences to the crew and their families. It just keeps getting sadder, and it NEVER gets easier.
God Speed

[flyerrick]

Very sad , it was a pleasure to know and fly with BT , he will be missed . My condolences to the families and everyone at Conair.

Fly safe everyone !

[slowstream]

A very sad day, my thoughts and prayers are with family, friends and co-workers.

[emmitt]

Condolences to the family, friends and coworkers of those involved, a very sad day.

[iflyforpie]

My condolences to all affected.

[OceansEdge]

my god, what a horribly brutal spring/summer this has been,

my deepest sympathies to their families and friends, co-workers past and present

Vicky

[dirtpoorflyr]

My Condolences to the family and friends. It truly has been an unbelievable sad year. This is becoming all too common lately.

[North Shore]

Thoughts and condolences from the Thompson Tankerbase.

[RVgrin]

I took off Rwy 34 CYYF yesterday at 18:40 right after a Conair tanker departed Rwy 16 ("caution wake turbulence").

Could this have been the accident climbing out southbound before turning toward Lytton?

There was a lot of convective activity northwest of the airport, with a few fairly active CBs they would have been wise to avoid. A company helicopter departed at the same time westbound before turning south to follow the tanker.

The visibility was terrible, well below VFR at times, with the smoke mixed with humid air. Not a pleasant working environment. We owe a lot to these heroes.

[b_ash]

This is obviously very sad news. My condolences to the crews friends and family. Does anyone know the names of the pilots? Feel free to message me.

[privateer]

It was tail number 48.

[Siddley Hawker]

Deepest sympathies to the families, friends and co-workers. It's been a bad season so far.

[boeingboy]

Condolences to all.

I assume this was a Convair 580?

[RVgrin]

I assume this was a Convair 580?

Nothing I've read says the type except for the recent Globe and Mail article which reports it as a "Buffalo airplane"(!?!?)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/nat ... le1658871/

[robbreid]

photo C-FKFY Convair 48 Conair spotter tim/flickr