Incident Name: en route from Dillon, Montana to Boise, Idaho to begin service forthe BLM
Date: 5/22/2004
Personnel: John “Hollywood” Brandner
Age: 39
Agency/Organization: owned by A-S Ranch, Inc, of Fort Benton, MT
Position: firefighter
Summary: John Brandner was the pilot of a Dromader M-18 airtanker, aka a Single Engine Air Tanker (SEAT). On May 22, 2004 he died when the plane he was flying cross-country impacted mountainous terrain in adverse weather near the peak of Borah Mountain, ID. He was to begin service for the BLM in Boise ID and was about an hour and fifteen minutes out of his point of origin in Dillon, MT flying under Visual Flight Regulations (VFR) when he died.
Maps
“eastern slope of Borah Peak at 44 degrees 07 minutes’ north latitude and 113 degrees 46 minutes’ west longitude”
{mosmap lat=’44.136673’|lon=’-113.776626’|marker=’0’|text=’site on east side of Borah Peak, Idaho’}
Reports, Documentation, Lessons Learned
- Concise Information from the NTSB, FAA, the Wildland Firefighter Foundation and research by the Always Remember Staff:
- 5/22/2004, SEAT (Single Engine Air Tanker)
- 1 killed, John Brandner
- Operator: A-S Ranch, Inc, of Fort Benton, MT
- Type: WSK PZL Mielec M-18A (Dromader)
- Location: Mount Borah Peak
- FAA Registration # N117BS
- NTSB # SEA04LA095
- National Transportation Safety Board: Probable Cause (html)The pilot’s inadequate planning/decision, VFR into IMC, and his failure to maintain terrain clearance. Factors include mountainous terrain and instrument meteorological condition.
- For more information consult the NTSB online lookup Utility. Use the date and the registration number N117BS for the search.
Wildlandfire.com Links:
Media Articles and Reports
Photos, Videos, & Tributes
- Headstone photo with John’s name was provided by the Wildland Firefighter Foundation in Boise, ID:
- United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries: John Paul Brandner (For most complete info click the link…)
| Name: | John Paul Brandner |
| Event Type: | Obituary |
| Event Date: | 08 Jun 2004 (obituary event) |
| Event Place: | South Dakota, United States |
| Gender: | Male |
| Age: | 39 |
| Birth Date: | 14 Sep 1964 |
| Death Date: | 22 May 2004 |
| Death Place: | .. Idaho |
Contributors to this article: Wildland Firefighter Foundation, Mellie
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