Two pilots die in firefighting service in Utah

June 8, 2012

A fatal air tanker crash at a Utah wildfire site on June 3 killed two pilots, reports PRWeb.

The two pilots were performing aerial firefighting activities in western Utah in a Tanker11, a Lockheed P2V-7, when the aircraft made contact with the ground.

The pilots, who had a combined 28 years of experience in aviation and wild land firefighting, were working for Neptune Aviation Services.

Neptune Aviation Services implemented a voluntary stand-down of its fleet so that the crewmembers and mechanics could be briefed before going back into active duty.

The investigation has been turned over to the National Transportation Safety Board. Neptune also works closely with the Federal Aviation Administration, the United States Forest Service, and the Department of Interior.

Incorporated in 1993, Neptune relocated its main base to Missoula, Montana, from Alamogordo, New Mexico, and increased its size and capabilities. It now has a mixed fleet of Lockheed P2V and British Aerospace Bae-146 aircraft. Neptune is a  member of the American Helicopter Services & Aerial Firefighting Association.

Neptune's CEO said, “Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers are with all the family and friends of those impacted by this event. [The two pilots] were truly considered a part of our family, and they will be deeply missed."

The aviation accident attorneys at Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy also extend our condolences to the family and friends of the two aerial firefighters who died in this accident.

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