What happened
During a firefighting mission, an aircraft was performing a water scooping maneuver on the surface of the Don River. As the crew attempted to collect water, the aircraft encountered a flock of birds that impacted the right engine. This collision caused the aircraft to veer toward the right side of the river, eventually coming to a stop on the shoreline.
While the aircraft sustained damage that rendered it a total loss, there were no casualties. All four crew members successfully evacuated the aircraft without injury.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was a bird strike involving the right engine during the low-altitude water scooping phase of the mission.