A preliminary report from the Australian Transportation Safety Bureau outlines the series of events that ended in a Port Alberni company’s firefighting plane crashing and being consumed by fire in Western Australia in February.
The two Coulson Aviation pilots escaped and suffered only minor injuries.
The new report is part of a continuing investigation into the crash, which took place while the bomber was deployed to fight a fire in Fitzgerald River National Park. Final results will be released when the investigation is completed, safety bureau Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said.
“However, should a critical safety issue be identified at any time during the course of the investigation the [Australian Transportation Safety Bureau] will immediately notify relevant parties so appropriate and timely safety action can be taken,” the report said.
On Feb. 6, Coulson’s converted 737 air tanker, called Bomber 139, was working with an Australian “bird-dog” plane. The bird-dog briefed the bomber on the upcoming fire-retardant drop, including the target altitude. The plan was to extend the existing line of retardant.
Bomber 139 descended to discharge about three-quarters of its tank, stopping the drop when the retardant line entered land already burned.
It started another circuit to drop the remaining retardant, descending to about 80 feet above ground height, and slowed its airspeed. As it was ascending after that, it hit a ridgeline at an elevation of about 222 feet, the report said.
“After contacting the ridgeline, the aircraft became airborne for about 69 metres, shedding engine, wing and fuselage debris before impacting a second time …”
The plane slid to a stop. The pilots could not open the buckled cabin door and the co-pilot couldn’t open the right side window. The captain managed to get the left side window open, allowing the two to escape and get away from the wreckage as it burned.
The investigation was based on information from the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, the report said, as well as interviews with flight crews.
Coulson says it has taken interim steps with respect to its firebombing operations, including “increasing the minimum drop speed and altitude and assuring that any bird dog operating with its large air tankers are appropriately trained.”
Britton Coulson, president and chief operating officer of the company, said Monday the interim measures will provide pilots with a higher safety margin.
Company officials have been talking to Australian representatives, urging them to require a higher standard for those operating lead, or bird-dog, planes in order to standardize tactics and communications, he said.
Australia requires the flight crew of its large air tanker fleet to be qualified by the U.S. Forest Service, Coulson said, and he believes the bird dog aircraft should meet the same standard.
While the bomber’s pilot has ultimate responsibility, the bird-dog played a role in the accident, he said.
Coulson Aviation, a family firm, was founded in Port Alberni and has made its name fighting massive fires in locations such as California, Chile, Argentina and Australia.
It’s known for its quick-response fire-fighting fleet, including night-flying, high-tech helicopters.
The company was earlier known mainly for its Martin Mars water bombers, based on Sproat Lake near Port Alberni.
