Owner of Springfield coffee house dies while fighting fire in Montana

Juliana Turchetti, the pilot with a warm smile who spent her mornings in Springfield running the Aviatori Coffee House on North Logan Street, died while combating the Horse Gulch Fire in Montana on July 10. Turchetti was 45.

More: Springfield coffee shop owner taking to the sky full-time; selling business

Turchetti was a Brazilian aerial firefighter with Dauntless Air. According to the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, Turchetti was while in-flight maneuvering to scoop water on Wednesday when she lost control of the aircraft. Her plane crashed into a mountainside and landed in Hauser Lake Reservoir near Spokane Bay where she died.

Turchetti’s plane was contracted to the U.S. Forest Service to scoop water over the flames. Dauntless Air is an aerial firefighting company based out of Idaho. Turchetti was flying a Fire Boss Air Tractor 802 under contract by the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) on loan to the fire in support of the Forest Service suppression efforts.

In April, The State Journal-Register spoke to Turchetti about her new position with Dauntless Air and the Aviatori Coffee Shop she ran.

Turchetti said it had been a dream job of hers to work as an aerial firefighter, and fly for a greater purpose.

With over 6,000 flight hours, Turchetti had been flying airplanes for 17 years from agricultural dusting planes to her favorite the Fire Boss, and will be remembered for her career, good taste in everything food to style and devotion to her 17-year-old son, who went to school in Springfield.

In a joint statement Wednesday, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte and Idaho Gov. Brad Little said the plane was on loan from Idaho to the U.S. Forest Service to assist with the Horse Gulch Fire.

“Our hearts and prayers go out to the family, friends and colleagues of Juliana. The IDL firefighting and aviation community has been hit hard by this tragedy,” said IDL Director Dustin Miller. “Wildland firefighters, by air and by ground step up to do this dangerous work to protect our communities and lands. Juliana has given the ultimate sacrifice. Our hearts are heavy, and she will not be forgotten.”

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the crash with the full support and cooperation of the Federal Aviation Administration, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office.

Claire Grant writes about business, growth and development and other news topics for The State Journal-Register. She can be reached at CLGrant@gannett.com; and on X (Formerly known as Twitter): @Claire_Granted

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Springfield firefighter dies while battling Horse Gulch Fire in Montana