East Prospect, PA — April 20th — The anniversary of a 1997 line-of-duty death involving two Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry aviators during a wildland fire response in Blandburg was commemorated by Eastern York County FFC MopShots. On April 20, 1997, Tanker 38, a PV-2 airtanker, was being operated by Pilot/Firefighter Walter John Hirth Jr., 45, and Co-Pilot William W. Babka, 34, on a forest fire that had been sparked by an unattended campfire. In the midst of strong winds in a hilly area, the aircraft experienced a downdraft while making a water drop.

The airplane struck trees before coming to rest due to reduced vision caused by smoke and changing air currents. The two crew members perished. The incident emphasizes the significance of risk management and safety awareness by highlighting recognized wildland aviation dangers, such as wind, topography, and visibility.