Crash of a Douglas A-26B-61-DL Invader near Mt Bowman: 1 killed

The aircraft was fifth in a series of tankers making a drop on a fire. The fire was being fought by five A-26 tankers directed by the pilot of a 'bird dog' aircraft. The fire was in a mountainous area and the flight path recommended by the bird dog pilot involved around a small 6,500 feet mountain into a valley toward a creek, dropping the load on the fire, then turning left cut of the area after the drop. Four of the A-26 aircraft followed this procedure without incident. The pilot of the fifth aircraft acknowledged the instructions of the bird dog pilot but, for unknown reason, he elected to follow a different procedure. Rather than flying around the 6,500 feet mountain he remained within the valley where the fire was located. He flew approximately north, keeping the fire on his left, then attempted to turn steeply through 180° and approach the fire in a southerly direction. The bird dog saw the tanker in a turn approaching a southerly heading; five seconds later he saw part of the load being jettisoned. About two seconds later the aircraft hit trees and exploded. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.