LODD:Captains Brian Bruns,Paul Cockrell,Tom Lynch-P-3 Crash

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Bruns, Brian    

Age: 47  

Cause of Death: Vehicle Collision  

Rank: Captain  

Nature of Death: Trauma  

Classification: Wildland Contract  

Emergency Duty: No    

Incident Date: 04/20/2005  

Duty Type: Training  

Incident Time: 19:00  

Activity Type: Driving/Operating Vehicle/Apparatus  

Death Date: 04/20/2005  

Fixed Prop. Use: Outdoor Property  

Fire Dept. Info: Aero Union Corporation

100 Lockheed Ave.

Chico , California  95973

Chief: President & CEO Terry Unsworth

   

Initial Summary:    Three pilots, Captains Brian Bruns, Paul Cockrell, and Tom Lynch died when the aircraft they were operating, a P-3 Orion airtanker, crashed from a cause still to be determined in a remote part of California.  

The pilots were undergoing training/qualification flight checks in preparation for the upcoming fire season.    

Memorial Fund Info: Make checks payable to: AUC in trust of Tanker 26 Families, 100 Lockheed Ave., Chico, CA 95973.  

source: US Fire Administration

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More details:

On April 20th at approximately 7 pm, Tanker 26 went down near Brushy Mt. in Tehama County, on the border of the Lassen National Forest while conducting a training flight.

The incident was reported by people in a neighboring county who claimed to see a large fireball and then a cloud of thick black smoke. Tanker 26 was a P-3 Orion based out of Chico Air Attack Base...it was a federal tanker and was flown on fires all over the US.

The cause of the crash is still undetermined. The three crew members on board: Captain Brian Bruns, Captain Paul Cockrell, and Captain Tom Lynch (also the Chief pilot out of CAAB) were killed instantly.

May they rest in peace...