Pilots free from hospital one day after fire fighting plane crash

Two pilots of a firefighting aircraft that came down in southeastern Western Australia have walked out of hospital after their miraculous survival.

Two pilots of a firefighting air tanker have miraculously walked away virtually unscathed after their aircraft crashed while helping fight a large bushfire in southeastern Western Australia.

Pictures from the scene show large plumes of black smoke coming from the crash site shortly after the Boeing 737-3 national large air tanker came down near Hopetoun about 4.15pm on Monday.

Both pilots managed to escape with only minor injuries.

“It’s nothing short of miraculous that they were able to walk away from that plane yesterday,”

the state’s Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson said on Tuesday.

“It’s a truly remarkable outcome and it’s probably testament to their skill as a pilot.”

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating the crash involving the aircraft operated by Coulson Aviation.

“We are very fortunate to be standing here not mourning the death of some firefighters,” ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said.

“A large aircraft going down is generally quite catastrophic. These pilots are very lucky to be alive.”

Crash site images of the Coulson 737 which crashed in WA on Monday afternoon. Picture: Facebook

“Obviously we will take stock and consider and take on board any recommendations made by the ATSB,” Mr Dawson said.

The two pilots were taken by helicopter to hospital in Perth and have now been released.

Coulson Group CEO Wayne Coulson said the company was grateful the two team members on Tanker 139 were safe.

“We are offering all the support we can to our local and international crews,” he said in a statement.

“We’re also grateful for the support being provided by our firefighting and aviation industry colleagues in Western Australia.”

It’s not the first incident for the Coulson Group in Australia. In 2020, the company lost three crew when their C-130 came down while fighting a fire in the NSW Snowy Mountains.

The plane had just completed a second retardant drop over the fire ground when it crashed. Picture: Facebook

In Monday’s incident, the Boeing-737 left Bunbury-Margaret River Airport about 45 minutes earlier to help battle the Hopetoun bushfire about 590km southeast of Perth.

WA’s Department of Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner, Darren Klemm said the plane had just completed a second drop of retardant over the fire shortly 20 seconds before it crashed.

Another large air tanker will also be sent from NSW to replace the crashed plane.

The ATSB will interview the pilots, as well check on the aircraft and weather conditions at the time in its investigation.

The ATSB is launching a transport safety investigation into an accident involving a 737 large air tanker in the Fitzgerald River National Park south of Ravensthorpe, WA on Monday afternoon.https://t.co/ZxagDoyDdO

— ATSB (@atsbgovau) February 6, 2023

At approx 4.15pm the National Large Air Tanker currently based in #WA crashed while responding to a bushfire in the Fitzgerald River National Park.

Both crew removed themselves from the aircraft & were transferred to a local medical facility. More info: https://t.co/GZtEYk8Qrspic.twitter.com/e9KfgqZ8Fe

— DFES (@dfes_wa) February 6, 2023

The fire warnings in place around Hopetown as of Tuesday morning. The main fire zone is still under a watch and act alert as of Tuesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the fire at Hopetoun remains at a watch and act alert level as of Tuesday afternoon.

That means there is still a potential for threats to lives and homes. However, the threat is not imminent.

The fire, burning in the Fitzgerald River National Park, still isn’t contained or controlled, with conditions continuing to change.

Lighting is believed to have sparked the blaze, which was reported at about 10am Monday, and has since burned through about 2000ha of bush.