Skip to main content

Smitty Fire Aircraft Accident Fatalities 2008

  • Incident Information:

    Attachment Size
    Smitty Fire Aircraft Accident NTSB Final Investigation Report.pdf (776.57 KB) 776.57 KB
    Smitty Fire Aircraft Accident USDA Forest Service Briefing Paper
    Smitty Fire Aircraft Accident NTSB Preliminary Report

  • Location:

    Nevada

  • Date:

    09/01/2008

  • Incident Type:

    Fixed Wing Incident

  • Description:

    At 1730, September 1, 2008, the Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center (SFIDC) submitted an initial attack resource order to the Reno/Stead Air Attack Base for two air tankers to support the Smitty Fire in California. One of these, a P2V-7, Tanker 09, was loaded with retardant and took off en route to the fire. During take off, a ball of fire was observed coming of the left jet engine before the aircraft rolled steeply to the left and impacted the ground. All three aboard Tanker 09 were killed in the crash. 

    Those lost in the crash of Tanker 09 were: Greg Gonsioroski, Zanchary Vander Griend, and Gene Wahlstrom.

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

Return to top