Reuters: U.S.: Firefighting tanker pilots die in crash in Utah

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Firefighting tanker pilots die in crash in Utah Jun 4th 2012, 13:16 SALT LAKE CITY | Mon Jun 4, 2012 9:16am EDT SALT LAKE CITY (Reuters) - Two Idaho men were killed when the air tanker they were piloting as part of efforts to contain a 5,000-acre wildfire along the Nevada-Utah border crashed on Sunday, police said. Pilot Todd Neal Tompkins and co-pilot Ronnie Edwin Chambless, both of Boise, died in the crash, the Iron County, Utah, Sheriff's Office said in a statement. The air tanker, a Lockheed Martin P2V, was en route to drop chemical fire retardant on the White Rock Fire that started Friday night about 25 miles northeast of Caliente, Nevada. By Sunday, the fire had crossed into Utah. The cause of the crash was not known, and the National Transportation Safety Board did not immediately return phone calls. The plane went down in the Hamlin Valley area of southwestern Utah, the sheriff's office said. Wildfires have consumed more than 200 square miles (520 square km) of rugged land in six U.S. states, including a major blaze in New Mexico. The White Rock fire was caused by lightning and as of Sunday night had not been contained. (Reporting by Jennifer Dobner; Editing by Dan Burns) Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints

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