Boeing 737 crashes in Australia during a firefighting operation, but both pilots on board survive. The Boeing 737-300 operated by Coulson Aviation firefighting was an ex Southwest Airlines aircraft.
Tanker 139 had been contracted by the Australian National Aerial Firefighting Centre (NAFC) and was flown to Australia in December 2022
“Initially, investigators will seek to interview the pilots and witnesses to understand the circumstances of the accident, and determine the accessibility of the accident site with the aim of conducting an on-site examination of the aircraft wreckage,” said the ATSB in a statement.
This is the second incident for Coulson Aviation during firefighting operations in Australia, after a C-130 heavy air tanker crashed in 2020, killing all three on board.
The 737 was on its third mission of the day, operating out of Busselton Airport in Western Australia when it departed at 1532 local time for another mission. From 29,000 AGL the aircraft then descended to 700 feet to lay retardant lines according to flight tracking before the accident occurred at approximately 1600 local time.
Both pilots, the only crew members on board, were able to self-extricate from the aircraft before being airlifted by helicopter to a local airport before being moved to a Perth hospital by the Royal Flying Doctors service, though initial reports advise that both pilots only have minor injuries from the crash.
Registration: N619SW
MSN: 28035/2762
First flight: 1995 (27 years 4 months)
Engines: 2 CFMI CFM56-3B1
Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair
Location: Fitzgerald River National Park, Western Australia
Source – Airline Secret Exposed FB page