Incident
An aircraft operating under the call sign Tanker 9 was dispatched to fight a forest fire in the region of Esine. The fire was located on the southern slope of the Val Camonica, approximately 8 nautical miles northeast of Lake Iseo. While approaching the area to be treated, the aircraft struck trees and crashed on the mountain slope. Both pilots sustained injuries, one of them serious, and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the probable cause of the accident was attributable to human factors. Specifically, the aircraft impacted trees following the setting of an inadequate escape manoeuvre. The report noted several contributing factors, including the crew's failure to strictly comply with the Operator's Manual of Operations, which specified that attack and escape routes should not be made uphill unless the difference in elevation could be overcome without power fluctuations. Additionally, the crew did not carry out a new reconnaissance and briefing after the trajectory changed from descending to ascending, as would have been prudent. The attack was made in unstabilized conditions, not in accordance with the operating manual. Communication problems within the cockpit were identified, as radio communications with the DOCFS were conducted by the co-pilot in Italian, a language not understood by the Canadian commander. A significant difference in experience and age between the two crew members may have affected crew coordination. The investigation also cited the presence of critical points in the operating manuals, partly rectified after the accident, and the presence of locally significant turbulence.