Grumman S-2 Tracker

Argentinian Navy - Armada Argentina

The crew was completing a training flight on this Tracker delivered to the Armada Argentina in 1978. While flying in the vicinity of the Bahía Blanca-Comandante Espora Airport, the crew encountered unknown technical problems and was forced to attempt an emergency landing in an open field. While both pilots escaped with minor injuries, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Sécurité civile française

The aircraft departed Marseille-Marignane and was dispatched in an area west of Aubenas to fight a forest fire with one other Tracker, one De Havilland DHC-8 and two Canadair CL-415. After a first Tracker successfully dropped its retardant, the second Tracker approached the area when it collided with hilly terrain and crashed, bursting into flames. Both pilots were killed. Crew: Régis Huillier, pilot, Albert Pouzoulet, pilot.

Sécurité civile française

The aircraft departed Marseille-Marignane Airport in the afternoon and was dispatched in the area of Taradeau where a forest was on fire. Two helicopters, two others Tracker and five Canadair CL-415 were also dispatched to the same zone. The pilot was approaching the area on fire when he momentarily lost visual contact with the ground. The aircraft impacted trees and crashed, bursting into flames. The pilot escaped with minor injuries while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

CDF Aviation - California Department of Forestry - Cal Fire

During an aerial fire suppression mission for the California Department of Forestry (CDF), two Grumman TS-2A airplanes, operating as Tanker 92 (N442DF) and Tanker 87 (N450DF), collided in flight while in a holding pattern awaiting a retardant drop assignment on the fire. All of the airplanes fighting the fire were TS-2A's, painted in identical paint schemes. The Air Tactical Group Supervisor (AirTac) was orbiting clockwise 1,000 feet above the tankers, who were in a counterclockwise orbit at 3,000 feet mean sea level (msl). The pilots of both aircraft involved in the collision had previously made several drops on the fire. Records from the Air Tac show that Tankers 86, 91, and 92 were in orbit, and investigation found that Tanker 87 was inbound to enter the orbit after reloading at a nearby airport base. AirTac would write down the tanker numbers as they made their 3-minutes-out call, and usually ordered their drops in the same order as their check-in. The AirTac's log recorded the sequence 86, 91, 21, and 92. The log did not contain an entry for Tanker 87. Other pilots on frequency did not recall hearing Tanker 87 check in. Based on clock codes with 12-o'clock being north, the tankers were in the following approximate positions of the orbit when the collision occurred. Tanker 92 was at the 2-o'clock position; Tanker 86 was turning in at the 5-o'clock position; and Tanker 91 was in the 7-o'clock position. The AirTac's log indicated that Tanker 92 was going to move up in sequence and follow Tanker 86 in order to drop immediately after him. Post accident examination determined that Tanker 92's flaps were down, indicating that the pilot had configured the airplane for a drop. Tanker 92 swung out of the orbit wide (in an area where ground witnesses had not seen tankers all day) to move behind Tanker 86, and the pilot would likely have been focusing on Tanker 86 out of his left side window. Tanker 87 was on line direct to the center of the fire on a path that witnesses had not observed tankers use that day. Reconstruction of the positions of the airplanes disclosed that Tankers 86 and 91 would have been directly in front of Tanker 87, and Tanker 92 would have been wide to his left. Ground witnesses said that Tanker 87 had cleared a ridgeline just prior to the collision, and this ridgeline could have masked both collision aircraft from the visual perspective of the respective pilots. The right propeller, engine, and cockpit of Tanker 92 contacted and separated the empennage of Tanker 87. The propeller chop was about 47 degrees counterclockwise to the longitudinal axis of Tanker 87 as viewed from the top. The collision appeared to have occurred about 2,500 feet, which was below orbit altitude. CDF had no standard operating manual, no established reporting or entry point for the holding orbits, and a tanker could enter any point of the orbit from any direction. While no standardized procedures were encoded in an operating manual, a CDF training syllabus noted that a tanker was not to enter an orbit until establishing positive radio contact with the AirTac. The entering tanker would approach 1,000 feet below AirTac's altitude and stay in a left orbit that was similar to a salad bowl, high and wide enough to see and clear all other tankers until locating the tanker that it was to follow, then adjust speed and altitude to fall in behind the preceding airplane.

CDF Aviation - California Department of Forestry - Cal Fire

During an aerial fire suppression mission for the California Department of Forestry (CDF), two Grumman TS-2A airplanes, operating as Tanker 92 (N442DF) and Tanker 87 (N450DF), collided in flight while in a holding pattern awaiting a retardant drop assignment on the fire. All of the airplanes fighting the fire were TS-2A's, painted in identical paint schemes. The Air Tactical Group Supervisor (AirTac) was orbiting clockwise 1,000 feet above the tankers, who were in a counterclockwise orbit at 3,000 feet mean sea level (msl). The pilots of both aircraft involved in the collision had previously made several drops on the fire. Records from the Air Tac show that Tankers 86, 91, and 92 were in orbit, and investigation found that Tanker 87 was inbound to enter the orbit after reloading at a nearby airport base. AirTac would write down the tanker numbers as they made their 3-minutes-out call, and usually ordered their drops in the same order as their check-in. The AirTac's log recorded the sequence 86, 91, 21, and 92. The log did not contain an entry for Tanker 87. Other pilots on frequency did not recall hearing Tanker 87 check in. Based on clock codes with 12-o'clock being north, the tankers were in the following approximate positions of the orbit when the collision occurred. Tanker 92 was at the 2-o'clock position; Tanker 86 was turning in at the 5-o'clock position; and Tanker 91 was in the 7-o'clock position. The AirTac's log indicated that Tanker 92 was going to move up in sequence and follow Tanker 86 in order to drop immediately after him. Post accident examination determined that Tanker 92's flaps were down, indicating that the pilot had configured the airplane for a drop. Tanker 92 swung out of the orbit wide (in an area where ground witnesses had not seen tankers all day) to move behind Tanker 86, and the pilot would likely have been focusing on Tanker 86 out of his left side window. Tanker 87 was on line direct to the center of the fire on a path that witnesses had not observed tankers use that day. Reconstruction of the positions of the airplanes disclosed that Tankers 86 and 91 would have been directly in front of Tanker 87, and Tanker 92 would have been wide to his left. Ground witnesses said that Tanker 87 had cleared a ridgeline just prior to the collision, and this ridgeline could have masked both collision aircraft from the visual perspective of the respective pilots. The right propeller, engine, and cockpit of Tanker 92 contacted and separated the empennage of Tanker 87. The propeller chop was about 47 degrees counterclockwise to the longitudinal axis of Tanker 87 as viewed from the top. The collision appeared to have occurred about 2,500 feet, which was below orbit altitude. CDF had no standard operating manual, no established reporting or entry point for the holding orbits, and a tanker could enter any point of the orbit from any direction. While no standardized procedures were encoded in an operating manual, a CDF training syllabus noted that a tanker was not to enter an orbit until establishing positive radio contact with the AirTac. The entering tanker would approach 1,000 feet below AirTac's altitude and stay in a left orbit that was similar to a salad bowl, high and wide enough to see and clear all other tankers until locating the tanker that it was to follow, then adjust speed and altitude to fall in behind the preceding airplane.

Desert Research Institute

During the takeoff climb, the airplane turned sharply right, went into a steep bank and collided with terrain. The airplane began a right turn immediately after departure and appeared to be going slow. A witness was able to distinguish the individual propeller blades on the right engine, while the left engine propeller blades were indistinguishable. The airplane stopped turning and flew for an estimated 1/4-mile at an altitude of 100 feet. The airplane then continued the right turn at a steep bank angle before disappearing from sight. Then the witness observed a plume of smoke. White and gray matter, along with two ferrous slivers, contaminated the chip detector on the right engine. The airplane had a rudder assist system installed. The rudder assist provided additional directional control in the event of a loss of power on either engine. The NATOPS manual specified that the rudder assist switch should be in the ON position for takeoff, landing, and in the event of single-engine operation. The rudder boost switch was in the off position, and the rudder boost actuator in the empennage was in the retracted (off) position. The owner had experienced a problem with the flight controls the previous year and did not fly with the rudder assist ON. The accident flight had the lowest acceleration rate, and attained the lowest maximum speed, compared to GPS data from the seven previous flights. It was traveling nearly 20 knots slower, about 100 knots, than the bulk of the other flights when it attempted to lift off. The airplane was between the 2,000- and 3,000-foot runway markers (less than halfway down the runway) when it lifted off and began the right turn. Due to the extensive disintegration of the airplane in the impact sequence, the seating positions for the three occupants could not be determined. One of the occupants was the aircraft owner, who held a private certificate with a single-engine land rating, was known to have previously flown the airplane on contract flights from both the left and right seats. A second pilot was the normal copilot for all previous contract flights; his certificates had been revoked by the FAA. The third occupant held an airline transport pilot certificate and had never flown in the airplane before. Prior to the accident flight, the owner had told an associate that the third occupant was going to fly the airplane on the accident flight.

CDF Aviation - California Department of Forestry - Cal Fire

The air tanker pilot was on a fire suppression mission with fire retardant chemicals aboard, and had made two previous drops on the fire line. Another tanker and spotter pilot witnessed the last drop approach, and reported that the pilot was turning from base leg to the westerly drop heading downwind while in a 60-degree left bank. The aircraft suddenly rolled left to 90 degrees, and at that point the left wing tip struck the terrain. The winds were estimated by the tanker pilots to be 25 to 30 mph with gusts to 40 plus from the east. The pilots also reported turbulence and bad air. Airmet Tango was issued for turbulence and isolated severe conditions mainly below 10,000 in the vicinity of canyons and passes.

Argentinian Navy - Armada Argentina

The crew was completing a local training flight at Bahía Blanca-Comandante Espora Airbase. For unknown reasons, the aircraft landed on its belly and came to rest. Both pilots escaped uninjured.

Sécurité civile française

The pilot departed Bastia Airport on a flight to Marseille when he was called for a last fire fighting mission in the afternoon. While flying at low height over hilly terrain, the aircraft struck obstacles and crashed in a wooded area, bursting into flames. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Conair Aviation

The pilot, sole on board, was engaged in a fire fighting mission in the region of Quesnel. While cruising at an altitude of 6,500 feet, the pilot realized that the oil pressure on the left engine dropped while oil was leaking. He decided to shut down the left engine but mistakenly activated the fire extinguishing system on the right engine, causing the right engine to stop as well. In such conditions, he reduced his altitude and attempted to ditch the aircraft in the Fraser River near Quesnel. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and the pilot was slightly injured.

Turkish Navy - Türk Deniz Kuvvetleri

Shortly after takeoff from Cengiz Topel NAS, while in initial climb, the twin engine airplane lost height and crashed. All four crew members were killed as well as one people on the ground.

CDF Aviation - California Department of Forestry - Cal Fire

The pilot, sole on board, was fighting a forest fire in the region of Columbia, California. The aircraft made a stable and level approach to the drop zone. After the retardant was dropped on fire, the pilot initiated a climb when the aircraft impacted trees, rolled to the left and crashed in an inverted position. The pilot was killed.

Turkish Navy - Türk Deniz Kuvvetleri

The pilot departed Cengiz Topel NAS on a local training flight. En route, the aircraft suffered an engine failure and crashed in a hilly terrain near Kurtköy. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

CDF Aviation - California Department of Forestry - Cal Fire

The pilot departed Columbia Airport on a fire fighting mission. After the retardant was dropped on the fire zone, the pilot increased engine power to gain height when the aircraft, flying in reduced visibility due to smoke, collided with trees. It rolled to the left and crashed inverted, bursting into flames. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Brazilian Air Force - Força Aérea Brasileira

Crashed in unknown circumstances in the sea off Santa Cruz AFB. There were no casualties while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Argentinian Navy - Armada Argentina

Crashed on approach to Bahía Blanca-Comandante Espora Airport after the crew attempted an emergency landing for unknown reasons. All three crew members were killed. Crew: Lt Javier Diamante, Lt José Gahn, Cpl Gustavo Marquez.

Sécurité civile française

The pilot departed Calvi-Sainte Catherine Airport on a fire fighting mission in the Balagne region. While flying at low height and fighting a fire, the twin engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located near Calenzana. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Republic of Korea Navy

Shortly after liftoff, the twin engine aircraft stalled and crashed near the runway, bursting into flames. All four crew members were killed. They were engaged in a local training flight.

Sécurité civile française

The pilot, sole on board, was engaged in a fire fighting mission in Saint-Martin-Vésubie, about 40 km north of Nice. In unclear circumstances, the twin engine airplane struck trees and crashed in a wooded area. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and the pilot was killed. Pilot: Christian Lallement.

Brazilian Air Force - Força Aérea Brasileira

Crashed on takeoff for unknown reasons. All six occupants were rescued.

CDF Aviation - California Department of Forestry - Cal Fire

The aircraft was engaged in a fire fighting mission in the region of Weott, California. While returning to his base at Rohnerville to pick up another load of retardant, the pilot was able to send a brief mayday message when the aircraft crashed. The pilot, sole on board was killed.

Royal Thai Navy - Kong Thap Ruea Thai

The aircraft was engaged in a demonstration flight, taking part to an airshow at U-Tapao NAS and carrying a crew of six. While flying in the vicinity of the airbase, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and decided to return to the NAS for an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed on approach. Two crew members were seriously injured while four others were killed.

Sécurité civile française

The pilot, sole on board, was engaged in a fire fighting mission in the Luberon, north of La Roque-d’Anthéron, Bouches-du-Rhône. While flying at low height, the aircraft struck trees and crashed in a wooded area, bursting into flames. The pilot was killed.

Turkish Navy - Türk Deniz Kuvvetleri

Crashed in unknown circumstances into the Aegean Sea off Foça while completing a maritime patrol flight. All five crew members were killed.

Conair Aviation

Crashed in unknown circumstances while completing a fire fighting mission. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Sécurité civile française

The crew was approaching Marseille-Marignane Airport following a 3 hours survey flight over the region when he was informed about a fire that just started in Gignac-la-Nerthe, about 5 km south of Marignane Airport. As the fire retardant was still on board, the crew initiated a go-around and flew over the zone under fire. While flying at low height, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a prairie near a house. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed. Crew: Michel Brousse, Charles Daussin.

Republic of Korea Navy

The twin engine airplane was engaged in a joint exercise with the US Navy over the Japan Sea when it crashed in unknown circumstances. All four crew members were killed.

United States Navy - USN

The crew was completing a local training mission at South Weymouth NAS. On approach, the left engine failed and was shut down. Then the right engine lost power and white smoke got out. The airplane lost height then crashed few miles from the airfield. Both crew members Cdr Bailey and Lcdr Marriott were killed.

CDF Aviation - California Department of Forestry - Cal Fire

While completing a low pass during a fire fighting mission, the airplane struck trees and crashed in flames. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Conair Aviation

The pilot was performing a demo flight at Castlegar Airport when the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Republic of Korea Navy

The crew was completing a training flight at Gimhae Airport. On final approach, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed few hundred meters short of runway. All three crew members were killed.

Turkish Navy - Türk Deniz Kuvvetleri

Crashed in unknown circumstances, killing both pilots.

Royal Canadian Air Force - RCAF

En route from North Bay to Winnipeg, the aircraft was ditched into Whitewater Lake, about 11 km northwest of Sudbury. All four crew members were injured and the aircraft was written off.

Royal Canadian Air Force - RCAF

Crashed in unknown circumstances in Bayswater while completing a local training mission out from Shearwater AFB. Both occupants were killed.

Republic of Korea Navy

Struck a mountain near Gimhae while completing a training mission in poor weather conditions. All four crew members were killed.

Italian Air Force - Aeronautica Militare Italiana

While approaching Naples-Capodichino Airport in poor weather conditions, the twin engine airplane struck the slope of Mt Camaldoli located about 7 km short of runway 06 threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all four crew members were killed. Crew: 1st Lt Orazio Carbone, Lt Gianfranco Aquili, Lt Michelangelo Abbondante, Lt Gaspare Aladino.

Royal Australian Navy

Tracker N12-153608 was catapulted from the carrier at 2200 hours on 9 February 1975 to carry out an anti-submarine warfare close support task. The night was unusually dark with no visible horizon so that approximately three hours of the flight were spent in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC). At 0323 hours the following morning, the aircraft attempted a routine landing using the mirror landing system as an approach aid. In the days preceding the accident, the mirror setting had been changed from an approach slope of 4° to 4.5° but the pilot had not been informed of this. In consequence, the approach was slightly high and fast, the aircraft failed to pick up an arrester wire, an event known as a "bolter", and it subsequently crashed into the sea approximately ten seconds later. All four crew members managed to escape from the sinking aircraft and were rescued uninjured. Accident occurred off the Jervis Bay, in the Tasman Sea. Source: Phil Thompson

Royal Canadian Air Force - RCAF

The crew departed Comox on a SAR mission after a Stinson 108 was missing. At 1800LT, the crew informed ground he was returning to his base when the contact was interrupted few minutes later. The wreckage was found on Vancouver Island. Two crew members were rescued while two others were killed.

Italian Air Force - Aeronautica Militare Italiana

The crew was returning to Sigonella NAS following a fire fighting mission. While completing a turn on approach, the airplane stalled and crashed in Misterbianco, west of Catania. A pilot was seriously injured while the second occupant was killed.

Italian Air Force - Aeronautica Militare Italiana

Shortly after takeoff from Sigonella NAS, while in initial climb, an engine failed. The airplane stalled and crashed near the runway end. A crew member was seriously injured while three others were killed. Crew: Lt Giovanni Attanasio, † Lt Carmello Basile, † Salvatore Mantella, † Sgt Angelo Pozzi.

Royal Canadian Air Force - RCAF

Crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Sheet Harbour while on a maritime patrol flight out from Shearwater AFB. All four crew members were killed.

Brazilian Air Force - Força Aérea Brasileira

The airplane departed Santa Cruz Airbase at 0900LT on a maritime patrol flight. While flying along the coast, the crew encountered engine problems and decided to ditch the aircraft off Restinga de Marambaia. The airplane sank three minutes later and all four crew members were rescued by the crew of an Argentinian ship.

Italian Air Force - Aeronautica Militare Italiana

The crew departed Sigonella Airbase for a local training mission when the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea southeast of Syracuse. Both crew members were killed. Crew: Lt Claudio Martinelli, Lt Rino Meini.

Royal Canadian Air Force - RCAF

The aircraft was engaged in a maritime patrol flight over the Sargasso Sea and the crew was trying to get back to the HMCS Bonaventure when the crew encountered technical problems. By night, the captain elected to ditch the aircraft near the ship and all four crew members were quickly rescued while the airplane sank and was lost.

Royal Thai Navy - Kong Thap Ruea Thai

While completing a local training mission, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Ko Samet Island. All four crew members were killed.

Royal Canadian Air Force - RCAF

Crashed into the sea shortly after takeoff from HMCS Bonaventure. All three crew members were killed.

Brazilian Air Force - Força Aérea Brasileira

Few minutes after its takeoff from Rio de Janeiro-Galeão Airport, the twin engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea some 30 km off Ilha Grande. All four crew members were killed, among them Lt Luís Gonzaga Villas Boas, pilot, and 2nd Lt José Roberto Mendes Pereira da Ponte, copilot.

United States Navy - USN

The airplane departed USS Yorktown on a maritime patrol flight off the North Vietnam coast. While cruising by night, the crew reported problems with the radar. Shortly later, the airplane crashed into the sea some 40 km off Hòn Mê Island, North Vietnam. Three days later, part of the starboard wing was found but no trace of the four crew members. Crew: Cdr Donald Richard Hubbs, Lt(jg) Lee David Benson, AX2 Randall John Nightingale, ADR Thomas David Barber.

United States Navy - USN

The crew departed USS Kearsarge on a training mission over the South China Sea. The accident occurred in unknown circumstances, causing the death of both crew members.

United States Navy - USN

The Tracker was lost while on a logistics flight to the USS Hornet in the Gulf of Tonkin. The aircraft suffered a loss of oil pressure in the starboard engine and the propeller had to be feathered but the aircraft could not maintain altitude and had to be ditched. All four crew members were picked up safely. Source: Chris Hobson