What happened
On September 1, 2008, at approximately 1810 PDT, a Lockheed P2V-7/SP-2H aircraft, registration N4235T, crashed about 2 miles northwest of the Reno/Stead (4SD) Airport in Nevada. The aircraft, operated by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) under the call sign Tanker 09, was performing a takeoff for a fire suppression mission to support the Smitty fire.
During the takeoff roll on Runway 32, the aircraft's left jet engine experienced a fire. Witnesses at the air attack base observed flames emerging from the left wing as the aircraft lifted off. The cockpit voice recorder captured the captain notifying the co-pilot of the fire. As the aircraft climbed, the airspeed decreased. The flight crew did not execute the engine fire emergency procedure or attempt to jettison the 2,070 gallons of fire retardant being carried. The aircraft's airspeed decayed below the minimum air control speed (Vmca), leading to an increased roll rate to the left. The aircraft subsequently banked steeply, impacted power lines, and crashed into terrain. The accident resulted in 3 fatal injuries, claiming the lives of the captain, the co-pilot, and the flight mechanic.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and the left outboard Westinghouse J34-WE-36 turbojet engine. The examination of the 11th stage compressor disc revealed that the component had failed due to fatigue. Metallurgical analysis identified the fracture origin at several scratches on the disc's surface finish. These scratches were found to be too small to be detected using the company's approved inspection procedures. The investigation also reviewed the aircraft's flight data, which confirmed the aircraft decelerated below the minimum control speed during the emergency.