I am saddened to write of another fatal SEAT crash, an amphibious AT-802 "Scooper" aka Fireboss from Dauntless Air piloted by Juliana Turchetti crashed while working the Horse Gulch Fire in Montana (burned 10,849 acres at 0 percent containment). I offer my prayers on condolences to Juliana's family, her colleagues from Dauntless and all who loved her. May she always fly in favorable winds.
According to the Daily Montanan (July 11th)
Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton released Turchetti’s identity to the Daily Montanan just after noon on Thursday. The FireBoss pilot died when her plane, a single-engine water-scooping Air Tractor AT-802, hit the mountainside and landed in Hauser Lake, Dutton said in a text message.
Turchetti was employed by Idaho-based Dauntless Air, a company operating firefighting aircraft for more than 25 years who has held state and federal contracts since 2009, according to the company’s website. The company was contracted to fly for the Idaho Department of Lands but was on loan to the U.S. Forest Service, a spokesperson for the Forest Service said.
Dutton said Turchetti was a native of Brazil who was working in the U.S. on a visa. Dutton said Turchetti leaves behind a 17-year-old son and “numerous” family members in Brazil.
Juliana was also an Ag pilot, one of the first women in Brazil to fly Ag planes.
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