1974 06/27 AZ George Stell & Greg Stell -PB4Y-2

Incident Name: Lindsay Fire, Stafford Ranger District, Mt Graham
Date: June 27, 1974
Personnel: 2 lives lost
Age:
Agency/Organization: SS&T Aerial Contractors under contract with the US Forest Service
Position: aerial firefighters

Summary: (father and son)
George Stell, 50, pilot
Greg Stell

George and Greg Stell were dropping on a fire SW of Stafford AZ. During the retardant drop, the pilot — Greg Stell was in left seat — evidently misjudged the plane’s clearance of the trees on the steep mountain slope, hit them and then impacted terrain. Father and son died.

Airtanker N7237C; photo from the Goleta Air and Space Museum; photographer is Brian Lockett.

Airtanker N7237C

Maps

Accident site somewhere near Mt Graham, Stafford, AZ

{mosmap lat=’32.736691’|lon=’-109.821814’|marker=’0’|text=’Accident Location: near Mt Graham, Stafford, AZ’}

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Reports, Documentation, Lessons Learned

Concise Information from the NTSB, FAA, AAP, USFS and research by the WLF Staff:
- June 27, 1974, reportedly called “Charlie 50”
- 2 killed: George Stell & Greg Stell (father and son)
- Operator: SS&T Aerial Contractors
- Type: CONVAIR PB4Y-2, Privateer; Navy version of B-24 bomber
- Location: near Stafford AZ, departed from Tucson AZ
- FAA Registration # N7237C
- NTSB # LAX74FUJ73
National Transportation Safety Board: Probable Cause (html)The pilot in command (Greg Stell) misjudged clearance;
Remarks: during fire control slurry run, aircraft hit trees on mountain slope.
Screensave of NTSB probable cause:
For more information consult the NTSB online lookup Utility use date and FAA Registration # N7237C
from NWCG: Historical Wildland Firefighter Fatalities 1910 – 1996 (page 5) (616 K pdf)
- Year: 1974
- Incident: Lindsay Fire on the Coronado N.F., 1968CA
- Fatalities: 1 (should be 2)
- Agency: USFS
- Fire Behavior: Unknown
- Remarks: Air crash. Air tanker making a drop. Class G fire.