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Tanker 772 Crash During Forest Fire Suppression Near Victoria (CF-FFX)

Victoria, CanadaFlight

On July 16, 1967, a Canadian Vickers PBV-1 Canso (OA-10 Canso) (registration CF-FFX) operated by The Flying Fireman was involved in an aviation accident near Victoria, Canada in flight. 2 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Misjudgement of altitude on part of the flying crew. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

Tanker 772 crashed after its left wing struck a tree during a low-altitude water-dropping mission near Victoria, killing both pilots. The official probable cause was misjudgement of altitude by the flying crew.

Incident OverviewTanker 772 was dispatched at 1630 local time to respond to a forest fire that had started on Skirt Mountain near Victoria. The aircraft was operating on behalf of the BC Forest Service.## Mission DetailsThe crew first conducted a scooping run on the Saanich Inlet, collecting more than 1,000 gallons of water. Approximately one hour later, while flying at low altitude, the left wing of Tanker 772 struck a tree, causing the aircraft to crash.## CasualtiesBoth pilots were killed in the accident. The fatalities were Alex Davidson, founder of The Flying Fireman, and Robert 'Paddy' Moore.

Probable cause

Misjudgement of altitude on part of the flying crew.

Related events

Same operator

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