Firefighting Plane Crash: Pilot Killed While Battling Montana's Horse Gulch Fire

Helena, Montana United States of America
A firefighting plane crashed near Hauser Reservoir in Lewis and Clark County, Montana, on July 10, 2024.
Residents in certain areas, including Cave Gulch and Magpie Gulch, were ordered to evacuate due to the growing fire threat.
The extreme heatwave in Montana has been a contributing factor to the Horse Gulch Fire and other wildfires across the state. Temperatures have consistently exceeded 90 degrees Fahrenheit for several days, with forecasts predicting temperatures reaching 100 degrees on July 11.
The Horse Gulch Fire had burned approximately 600 acres with no containment as of July 11 and was located about five miles south of York and two miles north of Canyon Ferry Reservoir in Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest.
The sole occupant of the plane, a 45-year-old female pilot, did not survive the accident.
Firefighting Plane Crash: Pilot Killed While Battling Montana's Horse Gulch Fire

July 11, 2024 / 12:00 AM EDT

A tragic incident occurred on July 10, 2024, when a firefighting plane crashed while scooping water to help extinguish the Horse Gulch Fire in Montana. The crash took place at approximately 12:15 p.m. near Hauser Reservoir in Lewis and Clark County.

The pilot, a 45-year-old woman, was the sole occupant of the plane and did not survive the accident.

The Horse Gulch Fire, which started on July 10, had already burned approximately 600 acres with no containment as of July 11. The fire is located about five miles south of York and two miles north of Canyon Ferry Reservoir in Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and U.S. Forest Service.

Residents in certain areas, including Cave Gulch and Magpie Gulch, were ordered to evacuate due to the growing fire threat.

The extreme heatwave in Montana has been a contributing factor to the Horse Gulch Fire and other wildfires across the state. Temperatures have consistently exceeded 90 degrees Fahrenheit for several days, with forecasts predicting temperatures reaching 100 degrees on July 11.

The tragic loss of life and destruction caused by the Horse Gulch Fire is a reminder of the risks faced by firefighters and first responders in their efforts to protect communities from wildfires. Our thoughts are with the family, friends, and colleagues of the deceased pilot during this difficult time.

Sources:

  • CBS News: Pilot killed in small plane crash while fighting Montana wildfire
  • KTVH: Firefighting pilot dies in crash; fire grows to 600 acres
  • KRTV: Airplane fighting the Horse Gulch Fire has crashed

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Confidence

90%

Doubts
  • The cause of the crash is still under investigation by multiple agencies.
  • The exact location of the crash within Hauser Reservoir was not specified in the article.

Sources

96%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Plane fighting Horse Gulch Fire crashes

KTVH Eric Jochim Wednesday, 10 July 2024 20:00
  • Unique Points
    • One pilot was aboard the plane, their condition is unknown.
    • The Horse Gulch Fire has burned approximately 450 acres with no containment as of Wednesday afternoon.
  • Accuracy
    • The crash occurred around 12:15 p.m.
    • The Horse Gulch Fire was reported at about 1:30 p.m.
    • Search crews recovered her body on Wednesday afternoon.
    • Horse Gulch Fire has burned approximately 450 acres with no containment as of Wednesday afternoon.
    • Residents in the Cave Gulch and Magpie Gulch areas were ordered to evacuate at about 3:30 p.m.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

98%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Firefighting pilot dies in crash; fire grows to 600+acres

KTVH Jessica Nelson Wednesday, 10 July 2024 23:27
  • Unique Points
    • A firefighting pilot died in a plane crash northeast of Helena on Wednesday.
    • The Horse Gulch Fire was reported at about 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday and has burned an estimated 600 acres as of Wednesday afternoon.
    • The pilot was a 45-year old woman whose name has not been released yet, she was the only person aboard the plane.
    • Search crews recovered her body on Wednesday afternoon.
    • The Horse Gulch Fire is centered about five miles south of York and two miles north of Canyon Ferry.
    • Residents in the Cave Gulch and Magpie Gulch areas were ordered to evacuate at about 3:30 p.m.
  • Accuracy
    • As of Wednesday afternoon, the fire was listed at 450 acres and 0% contained.
    • One pilot was aboard the plane, their condition is unknown.
    • The Horse Gulch Fire has burned approximately 450 acres with no containment as of Wednesday afternoon.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

97%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Plane crashes fighting Horse Gulch Fire near Helena

NBC Montana NBC Montana Thursday, 11 July 2024 04:29
  • Unique Points
    • A plane crashed near Helena, Montana around 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday.
    • The pilot was the only occupant of the plane.
  • Accuracy
    • The plane crashed around 12:15 p.m.
    • The crash occurred in Hauser Reservoir.
    • One pilot was aboard the plane, their condition is unknown.
    • Horse Gulch Fire has burned 450 acres and is currently at 0% containment.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

98%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Airplane fighting the Horse Gulch Fire has crashed

KRTV News Great Falls Montana Eric Jochim Wednesday, 10 July 2024 20:12
  • Unique Points
    • A wildland firefighting plane crashed near Helena, Montana on July 10, 2024.
    • One person was aboard the plane and their condition is unknown.
    • The Horse Gulch Fire has burned approximately 450 acres with no containment as of Wednesday afternoon.
    • A pre-evacuation notice has been issued for areas of Horse Gulch and Cave Gulch due to the fire.
  • Accuracy
    • The Horse Gulch Fire is burning about five miles south of York and two miles north of Canyon Ferry.
    • The crash occurred around 12:15 p.m.
    • Horse Gulch Fire has burned 450 acres and is currently at 0% containment.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

99%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Firefighting pilot killed in small plane crash in Montana

CBS News Site: https://www.cbsnews.com/articles/about-us/ Thursday, 11 July 2024 04:30
  • Unique Points
    • A pilot died when a single-engine firefighting aircraft crashed into a Montana reservoir on July 11, 2024. The crash occurred while the plane was scooping up water to fight a nearby blaze.
    • The crash was reported shortly after noon on Hauser Reservoir in Lewis and Clark County, northeast of Helena. The pilot, a 45-year-old woman, did not survive.
    • The Air Tractor AT-802 plane was contracted out of Idaho and working for the Forest Service when it crashed.
    • The crash investigation will involve the Federal Aviation Administration, National Transportation Safety Board, and U.S. Forest Service.
    • The Horse Gulch Fire, a 600-acre human-caused blaze in Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest about 5 miles south of York, started on July 10, 2024.
    • Some residents were ordered to evacuate on July 11, 2024 due to the Horse Gulch Fire which has no containment.
    • The sheriff’s office reported that high temperatures in the Helena area have been above 90 degrees Fahrenheit for several days and were forecast to reach 100 degrees on July 11, 2024.
  • Accuracy
    • ]A pilot died when a single-engine firefighting aircraft crashed into a Montana reservoir on July 11, 2024. The crash occurred while the plane was scooping up water to fight a nearby blaze.[
    • The crash occurred around 12:15 p.m. in the Hauser Lake portion of the Missouri River below the dam.
    • One pilot was aboard the plane, their condition is unknown.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication