James Bailey Maxwell dies in fatal Eastern Oregon plane crash
Fatal Eastern Oregon plane crash death of James Bailey Maxwell – Obituary
On Sunday, authorities identified the pilot of the single-engine air tanker who lost his life while battling an Eastern Oregon wildfire as James Bailey Maxwell, 74. Maxwell, an experienced pilot with 54 years of flying and approximately 24,000 flight hours, perished late Thursday night.
Maxwell’s single-engine Air Tractor 802A crashed after responding to a new lightning-induced fire, the Parasol Fire, near the larger Falls Fire. Following an extensive overnight air and ground search, the wreckage was discovered the next morning in a steep, forested area.
“He is survived by and will be missed by family members in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington,” read a statement on the Malheur National Forest’s Facebook page.
BLM Field Manager Lisa Clark mentioned that Maxwell’s hometown was unknown, but he was stationed in Burns for the firefighting season.
“A single-engine air tanker, or SEAT, is the smallest air tanker in the fire suppression fleet,” the statement explained. “These agile aircraft can deliver up to 800 gallons of fire retardant or water to wildland firefighters on the ground.”
“The Maxwell family and firefighters appreciate the support being shown throughout the community and online,” the forest’s announcement continued. “Service details have not been announced yet, and the family requests privacy during their mourning period.”
Maxwell was operating one of the SEAT planes engaged in the initial response to the Parasol Fire. This fire, ignited by lightning, is situated northeast of the Falls Fire—a human-caused blaze over two weeks old, located 13 miles northwest of Burns. The Falls Fire has burned more than 142,000 acres, employs over 1,500 firefighting personnel, and was 57% contained as of Sunday. It is one of several “mega-fires” (exceeding 100,000 acres) in Oregon and the western United States. As of Sunday, the Parasol Fire had burned nearly 500 acres.
Addressing the immediate aftermath of the tragic accident, Clark highlighted the long-term support provided by federal agencies like the BLM and Forest Service.
“We have a program called CISM—critical incident stress management,” she said. “Specialists are brought in to talk to anyone who needs it.”
“We also encourage firefighters to seek emotional and mental health care year-round,” Clark added. “Often, returning to work and contributing positively is crucial for them—but when the fire season slows in the winter, all the emotions resurface. Therefore, we now emphasize year-round care.”
Fatal Eastern Oregon plane crash death of James Bailey Maxwell – Obituary On Sunday, authorities identified the pilot of the single-engine air tanker who lost his life while battling an Eastern Oregon wildfire as James Bailey Maxwell, 74. Maxwell, an experienced pilot with 54 years of flying and approximately 24,000 flight hours, perished late Thursday…
Fatal Eastern Oregon plane crash death of James Bailey Maxwell – Obituary On Sunday, authorities identified the pilot of the single-engine air tanker who lost his life while battling an Eastern Oregon wildfire as James Bailey Maxwell, 74. Maxwell, an experienced pilot with 54 years of flying and approximately 24,000 flight hours, perished late Thursday…