Authorities in northern Minnesota are asking for the public’s help to identify who opened fire on a firefighting aircraft and put a bullet through its tail. No one was hurt, and the bullet hole in the Air Tractor single-engine air tanker (SEAT) wasn’t noticed until the plane was on the ground. The plane was one of two aircraft fighting a fire in Portage Township about 15 miles north of Orr, Minnesota, and had just finished scooping water from Kjostad Lake. The planes and crews are under contract to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. “Upon returning to the Hibbing Airport, the bullet damage was discovered. Thankfully, the aircraft landed safely and the pilot was NOT injured,” the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
The bullet tore a ragged exit hole in the skin. The caliber of the weapon is not clear. The sheriff’s office said this type of flying is dangerous enough without taking ground fire. “Our aerial firefighters already fly in incredibly demanding, low-altitude, high-risk environments to protect lives and property. Introducing gunfire into the mix is absolutely sickening,” the statement said. Anyone who was in the area Kjostad Lake about 7 p.m. on May 15 is asked to call the sheriff’s office and their name will be left out of it.
Sumtin Wong!
I sink so twooo.
This story reminds me of the time we had a hole in the bottom of our Britain-Norman Islander. The Islander operator was just about ready to call the Troopers when they got the word that there’s blasting at a mine about 5 miles from the route.
They put a 3 mile radius TFR that day. We stayed at least 10 miles from that mine.
Just saying…, Forest fires are known to throw exploding debris.
Someone at that mine messed up to send flyrock that far
The pilot said he was 5 miles… I’m not going to question what he said. Sometimes planes hit airborne stuff. It’s not always somebody on the ground shooting at them.
Now such aircraft will need to have ground-aimed cameras.
Many years ago (before ELTs), one of our member-owned birds was participating in a CAP air search mission over SE Oklahoma. He heard a loud bang and his alternator went offline. When he got back to the field, he found that the alternator drive belt was broken and was back inside the cowling. The mechanic changing it came in to the ops office and asked how he happened to get the hole in the upper front of his cowling. Turned out he took a 30 cal round that must have entered through the front cooling opening, clipped the belt and exited the top cowling. Not nearly as much moonshining going on these days, but it was real once upon a time.
Many things in life are baffling, this is one for me. I’m trying to understand what goes the mind of a moron who decides to shoot at an airplane. Is he/she trying to actually down it, or just trying to be a nuisance and put a costly hole in it? If they are “shooting to kill” then when the airplane hits the ground and people die, is the shooter doing a “happy dance?”
There has been an arrest in the shooting.
Arrest and Charges
On Sunday, May 17, 2026, authorities arrested Daniel Christian Pettit, 48, at his home in Portage Township. He is being held at the St. Louis County Jail on charges of:
During a search warrant at his home on the 3500 block of Orr Buyck Road, investigators seized several firearms and ammunition.
Minnesota Man Arrested After Firefighting Plane Struck by GunfireA 48-year-old man from Orr, Minnesota has been arrested and charged in connection with a shooting incident involving a firefighting aircraft battling a wildfire in northern Minnesota.
On Friday, May 15, 2026, St. Louis County deputies, along with local, state, and federal firefighting crews, responded to a wildland fire in Portage Township, about 15 miles north of Orr. Two Air Tractor single-engine fire suppression aircraft were dispatched to assist.
Around 7 p.m., investigators believe one plane was struck by a bullet while scooping water from Kjerstad Lake. The damage was not discovered until the aircraft returned to Hibbing Airport. The plane landed safely, and the pilot was not injured
Arrest and Charges
On Sunday, May 17, 2026, authorities arrested Daniel Christian Pettit, 48, at his home in Portage Township. He is being held at the St. Louis County Jail on charges of:
During a search warrant at his home on the 3500 block of Orr Buyck Road, investigators seized several firearms and ammunition.
Investigation and Public Safety
The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office says the suspect was identified through investigation, and FBI and Federal Aviation Administration officials are assisting local and state agencies. Authorities have not identified the suspect’s motive but emphasize that interfering with firefighting aircraft poses a significant risk to pilots, firefighters, and the public
Broader Context
The incident occurred during a period of multiple wildfires across Minnesota, including the Flanders Fire and the Two Harbors fire, prompting Gov. Tim Walz to declare a peacetime emergency and mobilize the National Guard for firefighting support.
Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact 911 and reference case number 26066433