Veteran pilot Andrzej Gawron died on May 5, 2026, when his M-18 Dromader aircraft crashed during a massive forest fire operation in Poland’s Lubelskie Voivodeship.
Details of the Aviation Accident
Andrzej Gawron, a longtime PLL LOT captain and M-18 Dromader firefighting pilot, died on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, during a forest fire operation in the Lubelskie Voivodeship. The aircraft crashed in the Osucha area of Biłgoraj County, near the active firefighting zone. The circumstances of the tragedy are being investigated by the prosecutor’s office and the State Commission for Aircraft Accident Investigation.
The accident occurred during a large-scale rescue and firefighting operation in the Józefów Forest District, where fire had spread across an extensive forest complex. Authorities reported that numerous fire brigades and aircraft utilized for water drops were involved. The crashed aircraft was an M-18B Dromader with registration SP-ZUT.
A Distinguished Career in Aviation
Andrzej Gawron was 65 years old. A veteran captain for Polskie Linie Lotnicze LOT, he flew aircraft including ATRs, Boeing 737s, and Embraer E-Jets, accumulating over 17,000 flight hours. After retiring from commercial airline service, he worked as a general aviation instructor and a Dromader pilot.
Mielec Aviation Works (MZL) confirmed his passing, stating, “Our pilot Andrzej has died.” The company noted his death is a painful loss for the aviation community and expressed condolences to his family while pledging full cooperation with authorities to clarify the circumstances of the event.
Flight Timeline and Witness Testimony
The aircraft departed from Warsaw after 7:00 PM and disappeared from radar at 8:41 PM. The crash occurred near Osucha during active firefighting efforts. According to State Forests, the Dromader operated from the aviation base at the Regional Directorate of State Forests in Warsaw.
A witness reported that the plane was flying very low with its headlights on before performing a maneuver toward Józefów and falling abruptly. While the official cause of the crash has not been established, Grzegorz Walczak, operational director at Mielec Aviation Works, stated that there is no sense in creating theories while the commission conducts its investigation.
Investigation and Aircraft Specifications
The District Prosecutor’s Office in Zamość has taken charge of the case. Prosecutor Rafał Kawalec stated that the proceedings aim to determine all circumstances of the incident. Investigators, including forensic medical experts, police, and representatives from the State Commission for Aircraft Accident Investigation, are conducting on-site inspections, securing the wreckage, and planning an autopsy.
Dromaders have been used in Poland for years for agricultural and firefighting operations. The PZL 18M Dromader is a light, long-range aircraft with a tank capacity of approximately 2,500 liters, allowing for rapid aerial support in forest areas that are difficult to access from the ground.
