Robert Paul Stone, Battalion Chief

Pilot Willett and Battalion Chief Stone were assigned aerial observation duties for the "Mountain Incident" wildland fire that was in progress within the Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest near Porterville, California. The firefighters were operating a North American OV-10A aircraft. The crew departed the airport normally and conducted routine communications with the command center. The aircraft was seen flying between 400 and 600 feet above the treetops by an observer. For reasons unknown, the aircraft impacted the tree tops in a box-like canyon. The initial impact was to the top of trees estimated to be 125 feet tall. The plane broke up and fell to the forest floor and caught fire. Both occupants were killed. For additional information about this crash, consult the National Transportation Safety Board web site at https://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/query.asp - NTSB identification LAX06GA287.