Incident Name:
Date: 5/11/81
Personnel: 4 lives lost
Age:
Agency/Organization: Forest Service, Shasta Trinity National Forest
Position: varies
Summary:
Roscoe Bertolucci, 58, Aviation Mechanic, North Zone Aviation
Joe Hohl, 59, Avionics Technician, North Zone Aviation
Larry Pettibone, 41, Chief Pilot, North Zone Aviation
George Mendel, 54, Forest Fire Management Officer, Shasta Trinity National Forest
On May 11, 1981 at approximately 0830 hours, there was a tragic airplane crash and fire. A Beechcraft Barron crashed shortly after takeoff on the roof of the fire cache building at the airport. Four USFS employees lost their lives at NOPS in performance of duty. They were on a routine mission to Chico, CA to do an air tanker inspection.
Maps
Near the Living Memorial Site, Redding Airport
{mosmap lat=’40.518261’|lon=’-122.299193’|marker=’0’|text=’Near the Living Memorial Site, Redding Airport’}
Reports, Documentation, Lessons Learned
- Concise Information from NTSB, USFS and WLF Staff research:
- May 11, 1981
- 4 killed: Larry Pettibone, Roscoe Bertolucci, Joe Hohl, George Mendel
- Type: Beech Baron 58P
- Stall on final approach when returning after takeoff to Redding, CA
- FAA Registration # N154Z
- NTSB # LAX81FA085
- NTSB: Probable Cause
- For information on this incident visit the NTSB Query page: use # LAX81FA085
- Forest Service Investigations – Fatal Aviation Accident History (1979-2000): Pages 91 & 92 for this incident (316 K pdf) | Entire History (download 4,720 K pdf)
- Flight Safety Foundation (flightsafety.org): Flight Safety Digest, Vol 18, No. 4, April 1999, US Aerial Firefighting Accidents Involving Fixed Wing Aircraft 1976-1998 (218 K pdf)
- California Death Index: Roscoe Anthony Bertolucci | Joseph Alfred Hohl | Larry Earl Pettibone | George Charles Mendel
not yet listed on the USFA Memorial Database or on the AAP website
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Wildlandfire.com Links:
- Theysaid: May 9, 2011
Media Articles and Reports.
Photos, Videos, & Tributes
- Letter: Invitation to the rededication
- There is a Living Memorial adjacent to the Administrative Building at Northern California Service Center (NCSC) in Redding. The memorial is dedicated to the remembrance of the four fallen fire and aviation management staff. The memorial is a place among the trees and roses for friends, relatives, fellow workers, and others to quietly reflect. Visitors are welcome at the Living Memorial at 1000 AM on Wednesday May 11th, 2011 for a re-dedication of the Living Memorial on the 30 year anniversary. In addition, on Wednesday, May 11th, at 0830 hours friends and fellow firefighters at NCSC propose a brief moment of silence to honor these and other fallen firefighters who have lost their lives in the call of duty.
- US Forest Service Heroes Memorial: Roscoe Bertolucci | Joe Hohl | Larry Pettibone | George Mendel
Contributors to this article: John Miller, Rene Vanderhooft, Alan Setzer, and their many Forest Service fire friends
Please support the Wildland Firefighter Foundation
I knew Larry when I worked at the Boise Interagency Fire Center in 1974 & 1975. I flew with him many times. He was a fun person and one of our best pilots. In 1974 we had an accident between an AT and a small plane with fire and fatalities. Larry was the first one at the incident. RIP Larry.
Thanks for stopping in and sharing Bob. If you have any pictures or other info you would like to contribute, please feel free to email us via the Contacts page.