Pilot killed in air tanker crash near Estes Park's Kruger Rock Fire
ESTES PARK — The pilot of a single-engine air tanker was killed Tuesday when the aircraft crashed Tuesday night near the Kruger Rock Fire, according to the Larimer County Sheriff's Office.
The sheriff's office said it received reports of the crash at approximately 6:37 p.m.
Fire crews and emergency officials responded to search for the wreckage in the areas of Little Valley Drive, Cheley Colorado Camps and Hermit Park. Search crews found the wreckage at 9:49 p.m. near the south end of the Hermit Park area, according to a Larimer County Sheriff's Office news release.
What we know Wednesday:Kruger Rock Fire crews fighting fire, investigating plane crash
Tuesday's coverage:Kruger Rock Fire grows to 133 acres as night falls on Estes Park
Searchers worked to hone in on coordinates provided by aircraft tracking website FlightAware, which showed that the plane left Northern Colorado Regional Airport in Loveland at 6:13 p.m. and was last tracked at 6:36 p.m. in the Hermit Park area.
The Kruger Rock Fire, which is burning an estimated 133 acres with 15% containment as of 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, is just southeast of Estes Park near the Kruger Rock Trail and county-managed Hermit Park Open Space.
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash, according to the news release.
The Air Tractor is a one-seat firefighting airplane that can drop up to 800 gallons of water or retardant on a fire per flight (up to 14,000 gallons per hour), according to the manufacturer's website.
According to the Coloradoan's television news partners at 9News, it was to be the first fixed-wing aircraft to fight a fire at night in Colorado.
9News previously reported that the flight was planned to deploy a pilot wearing night-vision goggles in a plane equipped with specialized infrared lighting and other lighting designed for flying at night. The technology was demonstrated during a May demonstration in Loveland.
FlightAware shows that the aircraft departed Fort Morgan Municipal Airport at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, arriving at the Loveland airport at 4:38 p.m.
Return to Coloradoan.com for more information as we learn more about this breaking situation.