A “Fire Boss” single-engine firefighting aircraft with pontoons and scooper capability reportedly crashed near Spokane Bay on Hauser Reservoir on Wednesday while fighting the Horse Gulch fire.
The crash was reported at 12:11 p.m. and was confirmed to be an airplane, officials said.
Montana Highway Patrol, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office, and Lewis and Clark County Search and Rescue teams responded to the call, with Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office assisting with divers.
A Lewis and Clark County Search and Rescue boat patrols the water after a reported plane crash on July 10 near Spokane Bay on Hauser Reservoir.
Three search and rescue boats were dispatched in a recovery effort for the occupants of the plane, dispatch said.
Officials have not disclosed the condition of the pilot.
The Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the crash with FAA, U.S. Forest Service, and National Transportation Safety Board.
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The Horse Gulch fire, discovered around 1:38 p.m. Tuesday, had reportedly burned about 451 acres as of Wednesday afternoon, officials said.
The fire is 5 miles south of York and 2 miles north of Canyon Ferry.
Sonny Tapia is a criminal justice and education reporter for the Helena Independent Record. Thom Bridge is a photojournalist with the Independent Record and Montana State News Bureau. He also hosts the Montana Untamed podcast.
