What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 22, 2020, at approximately 1830 hours mountain daylight time, N836MM, an Air tractor model AT-802A aircraft, impacted rising terrain approximately 6.4 miles east of Emmett municipal airport (S78). The single engine Air tanker (seat) aircraft, conducting fire suppression operations under 14 CFR part 91, was substantially damaged and the pilot in command, and sole occupant of the accident aircraft, was fatally injured. The aircraft did not discharge fire retardant during the west-to-east pass along the southern edge of the burn area. Accident scene video captures the aircraft pitching up to a nose-high attitude before impacting rising terrain approximately 80 feet below the opposite ridgeline. The accident aircraft continued over the ridgeline after initial impact, crossed a small ravine, and came to rest approximately 100 yards from the top of the first ridgeline on a heading of 040 degrees and 3200 foot elevation. There was a small, post-impact grass fire near the engine of the aircraft which was quickly extinguished by rescue personnel.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 22, 2020, AT APPROXIMATELY 1830 HOURS MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, N836MM, AN AIR TRACTOR MODEL AT-802A AIRCRAFT, IMPACTED RISING TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 6.4 MILES EAST OF EMMETT MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (S78). THE SINGLE ENGINE AIR TANKER (SEAT) AIRCRAFT, CONDUCTING FIRE SUPPRESSION OPERATIONS UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE PILOT IN COMMAND, AND SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT, WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT DISCHARGE FIRE RETARDANT DURING THE WEST-TO-EAST PASS ALONG THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF THE BURN AREA. ACCIDENT SCENE VIDEO CAPTURES THE AIRCRAFT PITCHING UP TO A NOSE-HIGH ATTITUDE BEFORE IMPACTING RISING TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 80 FEET BELOW THE OPPOSITE RIDGELINE. THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT CONTINUED OVER THE RIDGELINE AFTER INITIAL IMPACT, CROSSED A SMALL RAVINE, AND CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS FROM THE TOP OF THE FIRST RIDGELINE ON A HEADING OF 040 DEGREES AND 3200 FOOT ELEVATION. THERE WAS A SMALL, POST-IMPACT GRASS FIRE NEAR THE ENGINE OF THE AIRCRAFT WHICH WAS QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED BY RESCUE PERSONNEL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.