Canadair CL-415

Government of Newfoundland and Labrador

On 03 July 2013, at about 1415 Atlantic Daylight Time, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Air Services Division Bombardier CL-415 amphibious aircraft (registration C-FIZU, serial number 2076), operating as Tanker 286, departed Wabush, Newfoundland and Labrador, to fight a nearby forest fire. Shortly after departure, Tanker 286 touched down on Moosehead Lake to scoop a load of water. About 40 seconds later, the captain initiated a left-hand turn and almost immediately lost control of the aircraft. The aircraft water-looped and came to rest upright but partially submerged. The flight crew exited the aircraft and remained on the top of the wing until rescued by boat. There was an insufficient forward impact force to activate the onboard 406-megahertz emergency locator transmitter. There were no injuries to the 2 crew members. The aircraft was destroyed. The accident occurred during daylight hours.

SOREM - Società Ricerche Esperienze Meteorologiche

The crew departed Pescara-Liberi Airport at 1719LT on a fire fighting mission in the Sirente-Velino Regional Natural Park under callsign CAN19. While approaching the area under fire, the aircraft initiated a slight turn to the right when it collided with the top of a hill and disintegrated, bursting into flames. The wreckage was found at an altitude of 1,155 metres near Acciano. While the copilot was seriously injured, the captain was killed.

Sécurité civile française

After take-off from Ajaccio Airport and a first scooping, the fleet composed of three planes with respective callsigns Pelican 44, Pelican 36 and Pelican 37 intervened on a fire at Piétramaggiore, near Calvi, Corsica, France. A first sector of the fire zone was treated by six passes. During the two following passages, the fleet dropped on another sector of the fire. Pelican 36 began its last scooping in the Gulf of Revellata at heading 250°, three minutes and fourteen seconds before the accident. At the end, it gained height and continued the circuit to arrive on the drop axis. The "doubling" action consists of releasing the water load at the precise location of the previous aircraft's release. During the last turn, it reached an altitude of 2,160 feet. Pelican 36 was observed on a trajectory estimated to be consistent by the crew of the following aircraft (Pelican 37) a few seconds before it passed over the drop site. However, video evidence shows that the track of Pelican 36 is further west than that of Pelican 44, which preceded it, and over higher terrain. One and a half seconds before the flight recorder stopped, the aircraft was in a right turn at an altitude of 1,360 feet. The angle of roll to the right and increasing was then 17°. While the elevators were nearly stable, the altitude stored by the flight recorder increased to 1,500 feet in one and a half seconds. After that the tail section of the aircraft separated from the fuselage. The aircraft then impacted the side of a mountain and broke up. Crew: Ludovic Piasentin, pilot, Jean-Louis de Bénédict, copilot.

SOREM - Società Ricerche Esperienze Meteorologiche

The crew departed Rome-Ciampino Airport in the afternoon on a fire fighting mission in Forte dei Marmi, north of Pisa. Following two successful missions, the crew was attacking the fire in hilly terrain and low altitude when the aircraft collided with power cables. A fire erupted on the right side of the aircraft and the crew lost control of the airplane that crashed in a residential area. Both pilots were killed while there were no injuries on the ground.

Sécurité civile française

The crew departed Marseille-Marignane Airport with three other similar aircraft to conduct a training mission in the bay of La Ciotat. Following several scooping manoeuvres, the crew simulated an engine failure and then performed a complete landing when the aircraft suffered severe vibrations. The crew increased engine power in an attempt to take off when the seaplane overturned and came to rest upside down. The copilot was seriously injured while the captain was killed.