A Fire Boss plane went down in Ferry County this afternoon while fighting one of the 70 fires that sparked east of the Cascades after the lightning storms and winds Saturday.
According to the Department of National Resources, the aircraft’s engine failed while fighting a fire, forcing the pilot to leave the fire line and making a hard landing on a logging road. He was able to exit the aircraft and was taken to a hospital. Joe Smillie, spokesman for the Department of Natural Resources, said the pilot may have a few broken ribs, but no other serious injuries were reported.
Smillie said the plane was owned by the aircraft contracting company Air Spray USA and the pilot was an employee of the company. He said the engine failure is under investigation.