Incident Overview
A pilot conducting fire retardant application operations experienced an in-flight collision with a tree during a second pass over a wildfire. The pilot had successfully released half of the retardant load on the first run and maneuvered the aircraft for another approach.
Sequence of Events
On the second pass, as the aircraft neared the intended release point, it encountered a strong downdraft. The pilot executed a recovery at low altitude. During this maneuver, the left outer wing impacted the top of a juniper tree. Despite the collision, the pilot maintained control and returned to Elko, where a landing was completed without further incident.
Damage Assessment
Post-flight inspection revealed damage to the wing: the most outboard 4 feet of the leading edge was crushed aft, with associated rib damage. No other details about the aircraft or injuries are available from the source.