What happened
On a firefighting mission originating from Busselton Airport, Western Australia, an air tanker operating under the callsign Bomber 139 was tasked with aerial suppression at Fitzgerald River National Park. The flight crew consisted of two members: a captain acting as the pilot flying and a copilot serving as the pilot monitoring.
While performing a go-around following a second partial retardant drop, the aircraft struck a ridgeline at an altitude of approximately 222 feet. The impact caused the aircraft to crash and subsequently ignite. The two pilots on board sustained minor injuries, though the air tanker was completely destroyed by the resulting post-crash fire.
Findings
- The accident occurred during the go-around phase of flight following a retardant drop operation.