What happened
During a firefighting mission in Corsica, France, a fleet of three aircraft—identified by the callsigns Pelican 44, Pelican 36, and Pelican 37—was engaged in suppressing a wildfire near Piétramaggiore. Following an initial water scoop at Ajaccio Airport and subsequent maneuvers, the aircraft were performing repetitive drops over the fire zone. The aircraft involved, Pelican 36, was executing its final water collection maneuver in the Gulf of Revellata before returning to the drop site.
As the aircraft approached the target area to perform a "doubling" drop, it was maneuvering through the terrain. While the crew of the trailing aircraft, Pelican 37, initially perceived the flight path to be consistent with the preceding aircraft, video analysis indicated that the aircraft was flying over higher terrain and further west than the previous plane. During a right-hand turn, the aircraft reached an altitude of approximately 2,160 feet. Shortly before the flight recorder ceased operation, the aircraft was at 1,360 feet with a 17-degree right roll. During a brief period of altitude gain, the tail section separated from the fuselage. The remaining wreckage subsequently struck a mountainside, resulting in the destruction of the aircraft and the loss of all crew members on board.
Findings
- The aircraft was performing a coordinated water drop maneuver involving multiple aircraft in close succession.
- The separation of the tail section from the fuselage occurred during a right-hand turn at a low altitude.
- Flight path analysis showed the aircraft was operating over higher terrain than the preceding aircraft in the formation.