Rare Footage Emerges of 2002 C-130 Tanker Crash During California Wildfires

In 2002, during a period of devastating wildfires in California, a C-130 Hercules tanker aircraft, engaged in firefighting efforts near Walker, experienced a catastrophic structural failure. A bystander, a tourist in the area, captured the event on video, providing a chilling record of the aircraft's final moments. The footage shows the plane dropping fire retardant before its wings suddenly folded upward, sending the aircraft into an uncontrolled spin. "Both wings folded upward, the plane went inverted and eventually crashed into the California mountains," recounts the narrator of the video, which has since resurfaced online. The accident left no survivors, underscoring the inherent risks faced by those battling wildfires. The remarkable footage serves as a sobering reminder of the dangers involved in such operations and the unpredictable nature of aerial firefighting. The video's recent resurfacing has sparked renewed interest in the incident, prompting discussions about safety protocols and the challenges of aerial firefighting.