What happened
On July 25, 2024, at approximately 1800 mountain daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-802A, registration N805DG, crashed near Izee, Oregon. The aircraft was being operated by Wakefield Aircraft LLC for firefighting suppression purposes, flying out of Burns Municipal Airport (BNO).
During a mission involving two aircraft, the trailing pilot observed the lead aircraft maneuver away from a column of smoke near the northwestern corner of an active Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) for the Falls fire. Due to visibility concerns, the trailing pilot requested to avoid the TFR corner; the lead pilot agreed and instructed the trailing pilot to take the lead position. After the trailing pilot turned west, the lead aircraft moved into a trailing position behind the second plane. Within seconds, the trailing pilot lost sight of the lead aircraft.
Radar data indicated that the aircraft moved into an in-trail position behind the other plane before initiating a right turn toward the northeast. The final radar contact showed the aircraft at approximately 700 feet agl, traveling at a groundspeed of 175 knots on a northerly heading, roughly 0.9 miles south of the crash site.
The aircraft impacted terrain approximately 30 nautical miles north-northwest of BNO. The wreckage debris path spanned about 1,000 feet on a 240° magnetic heading. The initial point of contact involved damaged trees, with the debris path extending 280 feet to a ground scar consistent with the left wing. Components including the engine, propeller, fuselage, and hopper were recovered along the path. The forward fuselage came to rest upright against a tree at an elevation of 5,730 feet MSL. The pilot sustained 1 fatal injury.