Moose Creek Smokejumper Aircraft Crash Fatalities 1959

A Ford Tri-Motor smokejumper aircraft with five occupants: a pilot, three Missoula smokejumpers, and the Nez Perce National Forest Supervisor crashed just beyond the runway at Moose Creek, Idaho. The aircraft was dropping off supplies at Moose Creek before continuing on to drop the jumpers on a fire, when it crashed into trees at the end of the unpaved runway. Smokejumpers John Rolf and Gary Williams died of their injuries within hours of the crash, and Forest Supervisor Alva Blackerby was also severely burned. Blackerby remained in the hospital in Grangeville, and then in Portland, Oregon, until August 23, when he succumbed to his injuries. 

Fixed Wing Incident or Accident, Fatality, Burn Injury, Aviation