1979 06/13 CA Gayle Eaton -S2

Incident Name: Charles Fire on the Plumas National Forest, CA
Date:  6/13/79
Personnel:  Gayle Eaton
Age: 43 years
Agency/Organization: under contract with CDF (now CAL FIRE)
Position: pilot, aerial firefighter

Summary: On 8/10/79 Gayle Eaton who was piloting Tanker 80, a Grummon S2-T airtanker, crashed on or near the Plumas National Forest. It was a stall/spin during the base to-to-final turn following the lead plane for drop. Crash was attributed to a Loss of Control in Flight (LOCIF). The pilot died.

from Bob Forbes:

S-2 Pilot Gayle Eaton was killed in a single aircraft accident in northern Cal. Stall/spin accident.

Maps

Plumas National Forest, Quincy CA

{mosmap lat=’39.789322’|lon=’-120.987632’|marker=’0’|text=’Plumas National Forest, Quincy CA’}

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Reports, Documentation, Lessons Learned

• Concise Information from AAP, WLF Staff research:
  • June 13, 1979, Tanker 80
  • 1 killed: Gayle E. Eaton
  • CDF (now CAL FIRE)
  • Type: Grummon TS-2A
  • Loss of Control in Flight (LOCIF); Stall/spin during base to-to-final turn following lead plane for drop.
  • FAA Tail #N404DF
  • NTSB # unknown
• National Transportation and Safety Board: Probable Cause (html) now listed as unknown
• For information on this incident in case it becomes available, search the  NTSB online lookup Utility Use the FAA registration number N404DF
• California Death Index: Gayle Eugene Eaton The record gives his age as 43 and the rough accident location as Plumas County, California.

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Wildlandfire.com Links:

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Media Articles and Reports.

• The History of Aerial Firefighting Planes in California

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Photos, Videos, & Tributes

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Contributors to this article: FSR52011, Walt Darren’s 2013 document on S2 Fatal Airtanker crashes 1/73-12/12

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