NTSB Says Pilot Probably Flying Too Low

When a CDF OV-10A Bronco crashed near the Sequoia National Forest earlier this month, department officials had no clue why.

The NTSB has released its preliminary report on the accident and it says the pilot may have been flying too low.

VMC weather conditions prevailed when the pilot, on contract with the CDF from DynCorp in McClellan, CA, departed VFR from Porterville to assist a ground crew working in California's Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest. Neither ATC nor CDF HQ received any indication from the pilot of problems with the aircraft.

In the days preceding the accident, CDF had been working three separate fires in the area with both the OV-10 and aerial fire tankers. The spotter aboard the accident aircraft, a CDF battalion commander, was to coordinate with ground crews reporting the status of previous fires and identify any new ones. The OV-10A was the only aircraft flying over the area the day of the accident.

Witness reported seeing the aircraft flying between 400 and 600 feet over the trees as it proceeded north following the Bear Creek. Another witness says he heard the engines revving just before impact noises.

The aircraft hit 125 ft trees on an upslope in what NTSB described as a box-like canyon.

The report concludes that CDF guidance specifically prohibits operations below 500 ft AGL unless authorized. The accident pilot had not received any such authorization the day of the crash.

FMI: Read The Full NTSB Preliminary Report