N14447

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn June 3, 2012, at 1347 mountain daylight time, a Lockheed P2V-7, N14447, designated as Tanker 11 (T-11) collided with mountainous terrain while conducting firefighting operations, 20 miles north of Modena, Utah. The airplane was operated by Neptune Aviation Services under contract with the US Forest Service as an exclusive public-use fixed-wing airtanker service contract conducted under the operational control of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Both pilots were fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and post crash fire. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company flight plan had been filed. The flight originated in Cedar City, Utah, at 1315.

The crew of Tanker 11 consisted of the pilot, copilot, and crew chief. They were based out of Missoula, MT, and had been together as a crew for the previous 3 weeks. Normally, the crews stay together for the entire fire season. Tanker 11 crew had operated out of Reno for the 2 weeks prior to the accident. During fire drop operations the tanker is manned by the pilot and copilot, while the crew chief remains at the fire base as ground personnel. The day before the accident while en route from Reno to Cedar City they performed one retardant drop on the White Rock fire, then landed at Cedar City. The crew departed the Cedar City tanker base and arrived at their hotel in Cedar City around 2230. The following morning, the day of the accident, the crew met at 0815, and rode into the Cedar City tanker base together. Tanker 11 took off at 1214 on its first drop on the White Rock fire, and returned at 1254. The crew shut down the airplane, reloaded the airplane with retardant, and did not take on any fuel.

Tanker 11 departed the tanker base at 1307 to conduct its second retardant drop of the day, which was to be in the same location as the first drop. Upon arriving in the Fire Traffic Area (FTA) Tanker 11 followed the lead airplane, a Beech Kingair 90, into the drop zone. The drop zone was located in a shallow valley that was 0.4 miles wide and 350 feet deep. The lead airplane flew a shallow right-hand turn on to final, then dropped to an altitude of 150 feet above the valley floor over the intended drop area. While making the right turn on to final behind the lead plane, Tanker 11's right wing tip collided with terrain that was about 700 feet left of the lead airplane's flight path, which resulted in a rapid right yaw, followed by impact with terrain; a fire ball subsequently erupted. Tanker 11 created a 1,088-foot-long debris field and post impact fire. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe captain, age 48, held an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate with ratings for airplane multiengine land, and commercial privileges for single-engine land, issued on January, 25, 2010, and a second-class airman medical certificate issued on January 17, 2012, with no limitations. The captain reported on his Forest Service Airplane Qualification and Approval Record, dated February 23, 2012, that he had 6,136 total flight hours. His most recent Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR)Part 61.58 pilot-in-command proficiency check was dated February 20, 2012, and was issued his USDA USID Interagency Airplane Pilot Qualification Card, with an expiration date December 31, 2012.

The first officer, age 40, held an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate with ratings for airplane multiengine land, commercial privileges for airplane single-engine land issued on October 29, 2010, and a first-class airman medical certificate issued on March 5, 2011, with no limitations. The pilot reported on his Forest Service Airplane Pilot Qualification and Approval Record, dated February 20, 2012, that he had 4,253 total flight hours. His most recent FAR Part 61.55 second-in-command check flight was completed on February 20, 2012, and was issued his USDA USID Interagency Airplane Pilot Qualification Card, with an expiration date of December 31, 2012. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe Lockheed P2V-7 Neptune was a decommissioned US Navy 4 engine maritime patrol airplane that had been converted for firefighting operations by Neptune Aviation Services, Inc., and was registered to Neptune Aviation Services on September 13, 1993. The airplane, serial number 8010, was manufactured in 1962. It was powered by two Curtis Wright R3350-32W 3,400-hp engines, equipped with two 4-bladed Hamilton Standard model 24260-323 constant speed propellers, and two Westinghouse J34-WE-36A 3,400-lbf jet engines. Review of airplane maintenance records showed that the airplane was on an approved inspection program (AIP), and the most recent annual inspection was completed on March 9, 2012, at a total aircraft time of 12,293.6 hours. At the time of the accident the total airframe time was 12,311.9 hours, the No. 1 radial engine had 1,643.9 hours since major overhaul (TSMOH), the No. 2 radial engine had 948 hours TSMOH, the No. 1 propeller had 2,777.3 hours TSMOH, the No. 2 propeller had 2,360.9 hours TSMOH, the No. 1 jet engine had 227.3 hours of time in service, and the No. 2 jet engine had 246.8 hours of time in service.

A review of the most recent airplane weight and balance documentation dated June 26, 2010, showed that the maximum gross weight for the airplane was 80,000 lbs, and that the operational weight with 18,720 lbs of fire retardant was 76,793 lbs. Maximum forward center of gravity (CG) limitation was 19.5% of the mean aerodynamic chord (MAC) and maximum aft CG limitation was 38.0% of MAC. The calculated weight of the airplane at the time of the accident with 2 crew, 18,676 lbs of fire retardant, and 7,500 lbs of fuel was 71,117 lbs, which resulted in a calculated takeoff CG of 32.4% of MAC. AIRPORT INFORMATIONThe Lockheed P2V-7 Neptune was a decommissioned US Navy 4 engine maritime patrol airplane that had been converted for firefighting operations by Neptune Aviation Services, Inc., and was registered to Neptune Aviation Services on September 13, 1993. The airplane, serial number 8010, was manufactured in 1962. It was powered by two Curtis Wright R3350-32W 3,400-hp engines, equipped with two 4-bladed Hamilton Standard model 24260-323 constant speed propellers, and two Westinghouse J34-WE-36A 3,400-lbf jet engines. Review of airplane maintenance records showed that the airplane was on an approved inspection program (AIP), and the most recent annual inspection was completed on March 9, 2012, at a total aircraft time of 12,293.6 hours. At the time of the accident the total airframe time was 12,311.9 hours, the No. 1 radial engine had 1,643.9 hours since major overhaul (TSMOH), the No. 2 radial engine had 948 hours TSMOH, the No. 1 propeller had 2,777.3 hours TSMOH, the No. 2 propeller had 2,360.9 hours TSMOH, the No. 1 jet engine had 227.3 hours of time in service, and the No. 2 jet engine had 246.8 hours of time in service.

A review of the most recent airplane weight and balance documentation dated June 26, 2010, showed that the maximum gross weight for the airplane was 80,000 lbs, and that the operational weight with 18,720 lbs of fire retardant was 76,793 lbs. Maximum forward center of gravity (CG) limitation was 19.5% of the mean aerodynamic chord (MAC) and maximum aft CG limitation was 38.0% of MAC. The calculated weight of the airplane at the time of the accident with 2 crew, 18,676 lbs of fire retardant, and 7,500 lbs of fuel was 71,117 lbs, which resulted in a calculated takeoff CG of 32.4% of MAC. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONThe Hamblin Valley terrain consisted of two ridges that run downhill to the northeast starting at about 7,500 feet msl, creating a shallow valley with a 26-degree slope. Terrain was populated with pinion pine and juniper trees, with sage brush cover. The area was completely burned over at the time of examination, with the ground foliage cover burned out, and tree canopy completely consumed.

The initial point of impact was identified by severed tree tops and the edge of a strip of retardant that was released by the airplane. Trees and bushes coated with retardant appeared plowed up, split, and uprooted along the retardant line. The farthest piece of heavy debris down range from the initial impact was the right-hand radial engine, which was located about 1,088 feet down the valley on a bearing of 057 degrees magnetic.

Wreckage on the top of the ridge closest to the initial point of impact was the right jet engine, right wing tip, and wing flap section. Two flap jackscrews were located in the vicinity of the initial point of impact. A scattering of light debris, which included some cockpit instruments, canopy bows, propeller, Appareo memory module, and fuselage skin from the nose section, was located about 450 feet down hill from the initial point of impact.

Heavy debris was located starting about 865 feet down hill from the ridge line. This debris section contained the retardant tanks and bay doors, cockpit, left radial engine and propeller, left jet engine, wing box, and tail section. The CVR was located next to the tail wreckage. The right-hand radial engine was located about 225 feet beyond the main wreckage, and a propeller tip was located along the fire access road beyond the right-hand radial engine.

Two witnesses had positioned themselves about 1/3 of a mile from the Hamblin Valley on a fire access road where they had a view of the fire tankers dropping retardant. The witnesses captured a 5-frame photo sequence of Tanker 11 colliding with the ridge line. The first photo shows the airplane in a right bank, the right wingtip was hidden by the trees and foliage on the ridge, and a plume of red fire retardant product was being released by the airplane. The second photo revealed that the tanker had rotated to the right about 90 degrees, the right wing was completely hidden by the trees, and a fireball near the right wingtip and right wing was erupting. The third photo shows that the airplane had rotated 180 degrees from the direction of travel and a large fir...