[UPDATE 6:57 p.m.] Cal Fire Tanker 96 Crashed at Rohnerville Airport; No One Injured

Tanker 96 was leaving and returning in quick round trips prior to the accident.

Tanker 96 was leaving and returning in quick round trips prior to the accident. [FlightRadar shows the flight path of the tanker in the time prior to the crash]

At approximately  6 p.m., Cal Fire Tanker 96 crashed at the end of the Rohnerville Airport. It “hit the ground” and “the left tire has popped,” according to personnel reporting from the scene over the scanner.

Below is a recording of almost nine minutes of scanner traffic at the time. The first minute contains most of the information. (About 6 minutes and 30 seconds into the recording, there is more information.)

No one was injured and there is no fire at this time, according to emergency personnel speaking from the scene.

Tanker 96 Stock photo

Tanker 96 Stock photo

UPDATE 6:57 p.m.: According to Cal Fire Battalion Chief Paul Savona, the tanker is repairable. He explained that Cal Fire airbases are located so that aircraft can respond to anywhere in the state within 20 minutes and he reassured the public, “We do have reserve aircraft available. We will always be ready to respond.”

He added that the crash is “currently under investigation.”

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Sandra Lee
Guest
Sandra Lee
3 years ago

Wondered where all the sirens were headed…..

Dawn
Guest
Dawn
3 years ago

Thank you good Lord , hope the person recovers fast.

Ellin
Guest
Ellin
3 years ago

Kym, Rohnerville, California has a pesky little “o” in it !!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rohnerville,_California

Thank you for all this hard work on the blog!!!

I only wish to shine up your diamond !

Willie Bray
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

🕯🌳Thank you Kym for all your information and updates. 👨‍🚒🚑

michael
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

thank you! i’ve been looking for something to call it besides dyslexia,i do it ALL the time!

punkybrewstersmind
Guest
punkybrewstersmind
3 years ago

Glad they were OK!

Jon
Guest
Jon
3 years ago

There is a huge difference between crash and mishap….please for the love of God use the right one next time. I know you have to sell papers….well content, but c’mon. The pilot is ok and the airtanker is repairable. Please don’t sensationalize these things.

FF
Guest
FF
3 years ago
Reply to  Jon

Is there though? If you got a flat tire in your car and lost control, damaging your car, wouldn’t you call that a car crash? Regardless, it doesn’t matter. Whatever you want to call it, it’s super scary and a reminder of how dangerous being an air tanker pilot is.

I strongly dislike low lifes
Guest
I strongly dislike low lifes
3 years ago
Reply to  FF

Exactly. And there’s a lot more to this than a flat tire. Collasped landing gear, damaged prop, damaged engine. Lucky everyone walked away unhurt.

Claire
Guest
Claire
3 years ago
Reply to  FF

When I heard the pilot report the accident on the radio, he was quite emotional, though only giving the information needed for a response, which included engines from Fortuna responding to make sure there was no fire or possibility of one that would compromise the runway even further, as there was another tanker on the way to land…and they couldn’t. I was impressed by the professionalism of all radio traffic, and the second tanker was diverted to another landing strip. The pilot immediately told of no injuries, but you could tell he was quite shaken up. The photo on t.v. this morning shows a lop-sided plane, for sure.

TANKER TED REYIRED!!!!!!RETIRED!!!!
Guest
TANKER TED REYIRED!!!!!!RETIRED!!!!
3 years ago
Reply to  Jon

It’s known as an “incident”. 😎😎🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀

Joe
Guest
Joe
3 years ago

Thank God! And Thank you for all that you do, Cal Fire!!!

appreciative
Guest
appreciative
3 years ago
Reply to  Joe

Cal Fire way epic thank you for always having our back.

Darrell Foust
Guest
Darrell Foust
3 years ago
Reply to  appreciative

We had fire fighters lose their lives back in the 70’s. Both times within a couple of months.
One landed in a barn at the bottom of Drake Hill Road.
The other landed in the front yard of a house on the hillside directly after the runway.
I remember seeing the bomber drop a load of borate as we saw huge flames from that spot.
The pilot died. Sad. But due to the experience and expertise of the next pilot, the flames were extinguished, no one else died and the house was left intact.
Rohnerville airport has given more than most.
Now you know.

UsfsFireDozerdude3
Guest
UsfsFireDozerdude3
3 years ago

Wow 61/2 minutes to dispatch it. Thank god it wasn’t serious

Taurus Ballzhoff
Guest
Taurus Ballzhoff
3 years ago

Be careful guys!

Thanks to Ms Kemp/Redheaded Blackbelt for all the fire info!

Martin
Guest
Martin
3 years ago

Flying those aircraft is a real danger to the pilots. Their flight paths take then into some dangerous flying territory. Only the best pilots get those jobs. I don’t know what happened for sure to cause it to hit the ground at the airport, but I am very happy the pilot and any others on board are fine, along with the aircraft. Every year we lose one or two in crashes. The pilots are frontline hero’s in my book. Flying on a wing and a prayer.

Joe
Guest
Joe
3 years ago
Reply to  Martin

Right on

Agent-J
Guest
Agent-J
3 years ago
Reply to  Martin

gravity?