NTSB says wing of crashed air attack plane was found distant from the rest of the aircraft

Map Cedar Basin Fire
Map showing the location of the Cedar Basin Fire at 2:54 p.m. MDT July 10, 2021.

In a brief preliminary report released yesterday the National Transportation Safety Board said that one of the wings of the air attack aircraft that crashed northeast of Wikieup, Arizona on July 10, 2021 was found 0.79 miles from the main wreckage.

The NTSB said the Beechcraft King Air C90 had been on station for 45 minutes orbiting the fire at about 2,500′ AGL. The last radar data point showed the airplane’s airspeed about 151 knots, its altitude about 2,300′ AGL, and that it was in a descent, about 805 ft east southeast of the accident site. The main wreckage, but not the separated wing, was consumed in a post-crash fire.

An eyewitness told a reporter that she saw the aircraft coming down at a “steep angle” and then “slam into the ground.” An hour later she and her husband drove to an area near the crash. They said Bureau of Land Management employees told them they they witnessed a wing fall off the plane in the air before it crashed.

At the time of the crash Pilot Matthew Miller, 48, and Air Tactical Group Supervisor (ATGS) Jeff Piechura, 62, were on board conducting visual reconnaissance and aviation command and control over the fire. Both of them were killed.

The King Air was one of the models mentioned in a recent FAA Airworthiness Directive (AD). Beginning January 11, 2021, AD #85 FR 78699 required inspection of certain Beechcraft King Air and Queen Air models due to a danger of wing separation.

Click HERE to see all articles on Fire Aviation about the incident.

Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Tom.

Smoke forecast for 8 a.m. MDT July 28, 2021

Smoke forecast
Wildfire smoke forecast for 8 a.m. MDT July 28, 2021.

Vertically integrated smoke is at any altitude. In some cases it could be only at high altitudes and may not be very noticeable at ground level.

Man arrested for shooting at Ventura County Helicopter

Ventura County FireHawk
File photo of Ventura County FireHawk Copter 4 testing new tanks at 69Bravo, June 9, 2021 near Topanga, California . Photo from 69Bravo cameras.

On Thursday morning, July 22, 2021, Joshua Chimarusti was arrested after he fired several rounds from a handgun at a Ventura County Firehawk helicopter in Southern California.

On July 21, 2021 at approximately 9:15 PM, the crew of Ventura County Firehawk Copter 4 was conducting nighttime training operations in Lake Casitas when they became aware of gunfire directed at them.  The pilot of Copter 4 took evasive action and identified a suspect vehicle leaving the area at a high rate of speed.  Copter 4 followed the suspect vehicle into Oak View where it came to a stop in the 200 block of Olive Street.  The suspect, who was later identified as Joshua Chimarusti, exited the vehicle, and fired additional shots from a handgun at Copter 4.  Mr. Chimarusti ran away to avoid being arrested.

Joshua James Chimarusti
Joshua James Chimarusti. Photo by Ventura County Sheriff’s Department.

An extensive search of the area was conducted by by patrol Deputies, various investigative units, K9, UAV, a small SWAT contingent, and Ventura County Copter 3.  Mr. Chimarusti was ultimately located and taken into custody in the early morning hours of July 22, 2021.  The handgun he used during both shootings was also located and seized as evidence.  Ventura County Copter 4 did not sustain any damage from the incident.

Mr. Chimarusti was arrested and booked for attempted murder, assault with a firearm upon a peace officer or fire fighter, shooting at an occupied aircraft, discharge of a firearm with gross negligence, prohibited person in possession of a firearm, and carrying a loaded unregistered firearm.  He had a court appearance scheduled for arraignment in Ventura County Superior Court on July 26.

Ventura County purchased three military HH-60L Blackhawk helicopters and is converting them into FIREHAWKS that will be used for fighting wildland fires, personnel transport, search and rescue, law enforcement, and medical evacuation.

The County has a joint Fire Department and Sheriff’s Department Aviation Unit. In addition to the FIREHAWKS, they have one Bell 206 Jet Ranger, one Bell 212 HP, one Bell 205B, and two UH-1A Hueys.

Firefighter reported missing on Montana wildfire found hours later

Granite Pass Complex
Map showing heat detected by a satellite on the Granite Pass Complex during the seven-day period that ended July 26, 2021.

A firefighter on the Granite Pass Complex about 28 air miles southwest of Missoula, Montana was found about five hours after he was reported missing July 25.

The individual had been scouting an area suitable for a fireline and missed his scheduled check-in. At about 7:30 p.m. Missoula County Dispatch was notified of the missing firefighter, and California Interagency Incident Management Team 15 began multiple attempts to contact him. After there was no success, the team began to search by ground and air.

Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Deputies and Missoula County Search and Rescue were dispatched at 8:20 p.m. The individual’s vehicle was located in the vicinity of the White Mountain Lookout and Pilot Knob, southwest of Missoula at approximately 9:40 p.m.  The Missoula County Search and Rescue and the Sheriff’s Office issued a Mutual Aid Request to Two Bear Air for aviation assistance. Airspace was cleared with the Incident Management Team and Two Bear Air began assisting Missoula County Search and Rescue ground resources.

The individual who had been reported missing realized they were not in their intended location and could not contact anyone by radio or phone. To minimize impacts to himself and local search and rescue resources, he explained later that he found an area suitable to stay the night.

He was located by Missoula County Search and Rescue just after midnight on July 26, 2021. He was tired and thirsty but uninjured and able to make his way out unassisted by search personnel.

Two Bear Air provides aviation support in portions of the Northwest to search and rescue teams. It is run by a philanthropist at no cost to taxpayers. Fire Aviation has several articles about the organization.

The Granite Pass Complex consists of four wildfires burning in the vicinity of Lolo Pass on the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests in Idaho and the Lolo National Forest in Montana. They are being managed together under one Type 2 Incident Management Team. Since the fires started from lightning on July 12 they have burned a total of about 3,700 acres.

Granite Pass Complex firefighters
A fire crew from Georgia works on the Granite Pass Complex of fires. Posted July 24, 2021 on InciWeb.