DRY CRIK Journal

Greasy Creek Corrals
Frank Ainley II & Rob Stone
February 9, 2006

2 killed as fire plane crashes

Men were directing forest firefighters in Tulare County.

By Tim Bragg / The Fresno Bee

(Updated Thursday, September 7, 2006, 8:33 AM)

MOUNTAIN HOME STATE FOREST — Two men helping direct forest firefighters were killed Wednesday when their plane crashed in the Tulare County mountains near Balch Park.

Killed were Robert Paul Stone, 36, of Visalia, a battalion chief for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and his pilot, George "Sandy" Willett, 52, of Hanford.

The crash happened at 10:25 a.m. in steep, rugged terrain above the Mountain Home State Forest conservation camp.

The crash was the first of its kind for the scout plane during its CDF service, a fire official said. Authorities hope an investigation will pinpoint why the aircraft went down.

The plane, one of 15 used by CDF statewide, took off from a fire air attack base in Porterville on Wednesday morning to observe a small wildland blaze burning in the Bear Creek Drainage north of the camp, said Becki Redwine, a CDF/Tulare County Fire Department spokeswoman.

News of the crash left fire crews in shock.

"As you can imagine, it's really hard when it's your own people who are involved," said division chief Pete Marquez. "When something like this happens, it not only affects us in Tulare County, it affects the CDF statewide."

CDF fire stations across the state were ordered Wednesday to fly their flags at half-staff to honor the men.

Stone, an 18-year CDF employee, leaves behind his wife, Mary Marinda "Rindi" Stone, and two children, ages 8 and 4. Willett has been a pilot with DynCorp for four years and is survived by his wife, Judy.

DynCorp is contracted to provide pilots for CDF.

Redwine said she had spoken to Stone recently: "He had been working a lot of fires lately, and he was excited about doing something with his family."

Stone and Willett were flying over one of three small blazes to break out in the area this week, Redwine said. The other fires were believed to be started by people, but the cause of the fire that Stone and Willett were circling remains under investigation, she said.

The crash sparked yet another fire. Redwine said CDF crews were working to contain that blaze.

CDF crews from other parts of the state were brought in to work at the crash scene and to staff Tulare County stations to help local firefighters distraught from the deaths, she said.

Campers reported hearing the plane overhead before a loud crash or an explosion. Curtis Tritch of Bakersfield said he initially thought the plane engine noise was a chain saw.

"I thought someone was sawing a tree down," he said. "You could hear a motor, then a loud crashing sound. I thought it was a tree falling at first."

Tritch said he realized the noise must have been something else when he heard sirens and helicopters a short time later.

Barry Jones of Lemoore, who was also camping in the area, said he and others went to the area of the crash to see if they could help, but it was too late.

He said he saw some firefighters crying.

Redwine said investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board have been notified and CDF will launch its own investigation into what caused the crash.

She said the men in the plane didn't radio for help.

The Vietnam-era plane is one of 15 bought by the CDF in the early 1990s, said Rick Moore, a battalion chief. The planes were "zeroed out," or rebuilt to a like-new condition before being put into service, he said.

The plane is a model OV-10A built by North American Rockwell in the 1960s.

Moore, who used to fly in the planes regularly for CDF, said they are generally manned by a pilot and a battalion chief who fly over wildfires to direct ground crews and to marshal helicopters and other aircraft.

Wednesday's crash was the first for the OV-10A model during its CDF service, Moore said.

"In general, they've always been good airplanes," Moore said. "We've logged a lot of flight hours on them."

Moore acknowledged that any kind of flying over forest fires is inherently dangerous, no matter what plane is used. Forest firefighting planes must fly low over challenging territory.

"Those men dedicated their careers to helping fight fires," he said. "They were doing what they loved."

Robbie talking to John
Forks, Lower Field
August 26, 2005

An exercise to familiarize his crew with the roads in the Dry Creek watershed.

Paregien Corrals
Rob Stone & Craig Ainley
February 15, 2006

Unlike most of us, Rob knew early what he wanted to do with his life. He hung around the Hammond CDF Fire Station in Three Rivers until he was old enough to become a volunteer and then a part-time employee. I remember how the bureaucracy frustrated him so.

Once on the payroll, he availed himself of every class and opportunity to become one of the most qualified CDF employees in the State when he died. But first and foremost, Rob was a hands-on man, able to distinguish the difference between theory and actual practice, insuring that he continue to learn from some of the best firefighters available. Unafraid to buck internal politics, he was known to speak his mind and polished this trait into creative ways to make the CDF more responsive and effective. Beginning at the bottom rung, the ranching community took great pride in Rob’s success, always more secure during fire season knowing that he knew our watersheds intimately.

As a teenager, he started cowboying with Kyle Loveall on the Elliott Ranch, some rough and brushy real estate that spanned the watersheds of Cottonwood Creek, Dry Creek and the North Fork of the Kaweah River. He continued to hone his skills over the years on his days off to become an integral part of the ranching community, especially during branding season. Able to accomplish whatever he put his mind to, Rob consciously directed his career and his life, and could always be depended on to do the right thing. This tragic loss of life and the void it has left in our hearts has been tough for us all to accept.

One of the best, you got the job done, amigo.

Brown Flat, Elliott Ranch
September 12, 2006

After eight and a half miles of rough 4-wheel drive road, an early morning service was held for Rob's ranching community at Brown Flat where Rindy and Rob were married. The primary service in Visalia was attended by an estimated 2,500 people with a procession of CDF fire trucks and mourners that began in Exeter, some 10 miles away.