UPDATE ON NTSB INVESTIGATION OF C130 CRASH IN WALKER, CALIFORNIA

On June 17, 2002 a C130 aircraft crashed in Walker, California while performing firefighting activities. The National Transportation Safety Board launched two investigators, one from the Southwest Regional Office and one from NTSB headquarters in Washington, D.C., to the accident site. The following is an update of factual information gathered thus far in the investigation.

The investigative team completed the wreckage survey on Wednesday, June 19. Once the debris trail mapping is completed the wreckage will be moved to a hangar in order to do a layout. In a layout, the wreckage is placed on the hangar floor in the approximate location of where it would have been on the intact aircraft. The layout allows investigators to examine patterns in the wreckage that reflect the angle of impact, separation sequence, impact forces, burn patterns, etc.

The aircraft had more than 20,000 operating hours. Maintenance records for the aircraft as well as Service Difficulty Report data are being collected for review. The team is also examining video and photographs of the accident to gather information on the accident sequence. Additionally, meteorological information for the site at the time of the accident will be obtained.

The pilot in charge of the aircraft had more than 10,000 flying hours and had the appropriate type rating to fly the C130.

The aircraft was not required to and did not have a flight data recorder or a cockpit voice recorder on board.

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