California Tanker Fleet Flying Again

Cal Fire’s fleet of 22 converted Grumman S-2T firefighting tankers received a structural clean bill of health from the NTSB that allowed the aircraft to return to normal flight status, the company announced last week. The approval came four days after a pilot was killed when his aircraft crashed in steep terrain near Yosemite National Park. Cal Fire immediately grounded the fleet of S-2Ts to safeguard crews until structural and aging-aircraft issues could be addressed.