Cal Fire air tanker pilot identified as person killed in crash near Columbia Airport
The person who died in a civilian airplane crash Monday afternoon near Columbia Airport in Tuolumne County was a identified as a Cal Fire pilot and U.S. Air Force veteran.
Cal Fire confirmed Tuesday that Ken Lancaster was the pilot who died when the single-engine plane went down in the 23000 block of Seminole Drive, about a half mile north of the runway. Lancaster was flying the personal aircraft off-duty and was the only occupant.
Lancaster worked as an air tanker pilot at the Columbia Air Attack Base at Columbia Airport, which is part of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
He began flying for the Cal Fire program in 2016. He flew OV-10 aircraft to help coordinate resources in battling wildland fires and later flew S-2T air tankers out of Columbia, according to the private-sector contractor, Amentum.
The pilot spent the last four years at the Columbia Air Attack Base flying Tanker 83. He was an A-10 Warthog pilot for seven years during his Air Force service, earning the nickname “A-10 Ken,” according to information released by Amentum. Lancaster was a mission commander for the Air Force during a one-year tour in Afghanistan, his Linkedin profile says.
“Ken wasn’t only a great pilot, he was a great base-mate, a steadfast tanker pilot and a good friend,” Amentum said in a statement. “His loss will be felt for years to come and his family is in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”
The Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors held a moment of silence Tuesday to honor Lancaster’s service as a Cal Fire pilot, according to MyMotherLode.com.
The news report quoted Supervisor Ryan Campbell saying Lancaster performed heroic service as a Cal Fire pilot.
The plane that crashed Monday was a single-engine Barnow Barry Vari EZE, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. It crashed at about 12:10 p.m. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the cause.
This story was originally published September 6, 2022 at 1:05 PM.
