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Siskiyou smokejumper looks at wreckage of the smokejumper's airplane, August 1944. Siskiyou smokejumper base, Illinois Valley Airport, Highway 199, Cave Junction, Oregon.

Smokejumper airplane wreckage, Siskiyou Smokejumper Base, August 1944

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The First Smokejumper Airplane Wreck

Stories from the historic Siskiyou Smokejumper Base, Cave Junction, Oregon

When Oregon’s first smokejumper base was set up in Cave Junction the program had a problem. They didn’t have an airplane.

A contract was made with an aviation company to fly smokejumpers to fires but it still took hours to get them there because the company was located in northern Oregon, more than 200 miles away. If storms were bad, the plane sometimes could not come until the next day.

The airplane was a Fairchild 81 and the one owned by the contractor had a reputation for not running well. On more than one occasion the smokejumpers were told to get ready to jump for their lives from the sputtering plane.

The engine problems of this plane eventually proved fatal in the summer of 1944. The first sign of the problem happened as the plane was taking off with several crew members on board. The engine died just as the airplane’s wheels left the runway during takeoff. The pilot was able to glide to a safe landing then worked on the engine for a few minutes and took the empty plane up for a test flight while the smokejumpers waited on the ground. He pulled the plane back into a steep climb and within a few seconds after leaving the runway at Illinois Valley airport, the engine cut out and the plane spiraled nose first into the ground killing the pilot in the flaming wreckage.

This airplane accident is believed to be the first smokejumper airplane fatality in history.

Pilot kicking the prop to start the Fairchild 81 while smokejumpers wait

Fairchild 81 before the fatal airplane crash

Fairchild 81 wreckage, August 1944

References
Collins, Stanley, Editor. 2002. Book of Gobi, Siskiyou Smoke Jumper Base 1943 - 1981, Garlic Press
USFS. 1944. Annual report for Siskiyou Smokejumper Base, Jack Heintzelman
Grants Pass Courier, August 3, 1944. Smokejump plane pilot dies in crash.

Photos
Siskiyou Smokejumper Base photo archives. Original source unknown.

Story retold by Roger Brandt

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Disclaimer: All information in Highway199.org is accurate to the best knowledge of the author. However, conditions in outdoor settings can change dramatically after storms or fires. For this reason, travelers are advised to check current road conditions before traveling through the area, drive responsibly and take measures to understand safety issues in the region. When participating in outdoor activities, always plan and prepare for safe hiking, swimming or any other activities mentioned in the Highway 199 website. More on disclaimer and copyright...