El Dorado National Forest Air Tanker Accident Fatalities 1992

This Douglas DC-7B airtanker had been operating from Stockton Air Tanker Base, California and had made several drops of retardant on the southeast edge of a fire on the El Dorado National Forest. Their fourth mission had them departing the ATB at 1156 hrs. Their departure was immediately followed by a Lockheed SP2H enroute to the same fire. The planned drop was to be made from north to south about one mile west of the upper dam at Union Valley Reservoir. It was to be the airtanker’s first drop in this particular location. On approach to the retardant run, the DC-7B pilot indicated he was experiencing engine trouble and exited the traffic pattern to the right. The trailing SP2H and the air attack watched the DC-7B continue towards gently rising terrain. The pilot declined to jettison the retardant load as he worked through the engine issue. The aircraft then turned to the right and pitched up, jettisoning the retardant before impacting trees. The DC-7B then impacted the ground in steep terrain and the aircraft was destroyed. This accident sequence occurred at around 1225 hrs. Both pilots, Leonard Martin and Charles "Chuck" Sheridan, were killed.