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Brian Bruns

Pilot

Pilots Bruns, Cockrell, and Lynch were practicing water drops and undergoing training/qualification flight checks on a Lockheed P-3B Orion airtanker. The pilots were on their 10th training run of the day, having just refilled the aircraft's water tanks. For an unknown reason, the aircraft crashed about 12 miles north of the Chico Municipal Airport. No distress call was received from the aircraft. All three pilots were killed in the crash or in the ensuing fire. For additional information about this crash, consult the National Transportation Safety Board Web site at https://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/query.asp-NTSB identification SEA05MA085.
photo of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial
Brian Bruns was honored on the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg, Maryland and was included in the USFA’s annual report Firefighter Fatalities in the United States.

Department information

Aero Union Corporation
100 Lockheed Ave.
Chico, California 95973

Chief: President & CEO Terry Unsworth

Age: 47
Rank: Pilot
Classification: Wildland Contract
Incident date: April 20, 2005 18:50
Date of death: April 20, 2005
Cause of fatal injury: Vehicle Collision - Includes Aircraft
Nature of fatal injury: Trauma
Activity type: Driving/Operating Vehicle/Apparatus
Emergency duty: No
Duty type: Training
Fixed property use: Outdoor Property

Last updated: February 28, 2014