Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on FreightWaves.com.
An air tanker pilot died in an accident Tuesday evening while attempting to extinguish the Kruger Rock wildfire in northern Colorado.
Tanker Pilot Dies While Fighting Colorado Wildfire
A 32-year veteran of the U.S. Army and Air Force died in an accident while attempting to extinguish the Kruger Rock wildfire in northern Colorado.
Key Takeaways:
- An air tanker pilot, Marc Thor Olson, died in a crash Tuesday evening while fighting the Kruger Rock wildfire in northern Colorado.
- Olson was piloting an Air Tractor 802F equipped with night-vision technology, on what was the aircraft's first night flight in Colorado designed to test the system during actual fire conditions.
- The accident underscores the limited research and practical experience with fixed-wing aircraft using night-vision technology for wildland fire suppression, despite the potential advantages of night operations.
- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are currently investigating the cause of the crash.
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