Anyone know about the Cordova crash?

[Float Pilot]

I just heard pieces on the radio. I have been away from a news source for a couple days.
Somebody went down near Cordova. Are they OK and does anyone know waht happened?


xx

 

[Daveinthebush]

Sorry but sad news

Sorry but sad news

The pilot had engine failure just a little outside of Cordova. Plane was intact but the pilot died. The full police report text can be found on the link below, look for Mondays(?) reports.

http://www.dps.state.ak.us/pio/dispatch/index.asp

Last report on Mondays list.

 

[Alaskacanoe]

engine failure

engine failure

He just hit to hard I suppose

Location: Mud Bay, Hawkins Island near Cordova
Case Number: 06-98043
Type: Fatal Aircraft Accident
Text: On 11-5-06 at 1300 hours, a pilot flying from Wasilla to Cordova
called a "MAYDAY" reporting an engine failure 1 mile east of Cordova,
Alaska. At 1421 hours, the aircraft was spotted near Mud Bay on Hawkins
Island. The aircraft was in tact but no signs of survivors were
observed. At 1702, the Alaska State Troopers with the use of Helo 1
landed at the crash sight and recovered the body of the 57 year old
pilot from Cordova, who was the sole occupant. Name is being with held
pending notification of family members.
<>
Author: Sgt. McConnell
Received and posted Sunday, November 05, 2006 8:08 PM

 

[sal]

Crash

Crash

Flight plan from New Wasilla to Cordova. Made a mayday call "engine failure, 1 mile West of Cordova, heading for a field". State trooper in a local aircraft located the crash site near Mud Bay up at the 500ft level in a muskeg field. Looked like he clipped a tree prior to the field. Air Guard started to respond with a Herk and Helo, but a local pilot went over via boat from Cordova after hearing about the crash and hiked up to the crash site and confirmed the pilot was deceased. Troopers and NTSB/FAA took it from there.
Another pilot (volunteer searcher) actually had a birdstrike while searching.

Really thought we were gonna find him O.K. Bad deal when we heard he didn't survive, and my condolences to the family.

 

[TILT]

A real bummer.I met the guy just last week.He was staying at a house I was working at.He just retired last summer.Seemed like pretty nice guy.I here he had one son about 30.

 

[Float Pilot]

I heard his dog survived the landing. So it must not have been to horrible.
Sounds like he ALMOST made it...
I wonder what the troopers definition of intact (he spells it in tact) would be.
I try to learn from these things. It might help me avoid doing the same thing some day...

 

[sal]

Wreckage

Wreckage

From what I got after debriefing the trooper who spotted the crash site, the aircraft was intact meaning everything was still in one peice (wings, tail, fuselage, engine, etc..). The nose/front end was folded under. He said it looked like he clipped a tree prior to making it to the muskeg/field. It's speculation but that might have caused him to nose in more than he wanted too; possible stall after clipping the tree.
I for one will be waiting to hear from the NTSB report.
Never heard about the dog...didn't even know one was onboard.

Not wanting to hangar talk this one out before all the facts are presented, but we were thinking given how close he was to his destination, where he came from, and the range of a C-180, fuel starvation is a distinct possibility. But again...nobody knows right now. I do know he was a high time pilot (ATP, etc..)

Again, my condolences to the family and friends.

 

[Float Pilot]

Having been close on gas once or twice, I can see how it could happen.

All it takes are a few big snow squawls or rain cells that you have to fly around, plus a little more headwind.... If you are past the point of no-return... well you get the idea...

I made it to Whitehorse (from Tok) once with about 3 gallon left, after being trapped on top of a very thick and turbulent layer....

 

[wlas]

crash

crash

I've known Larry for ten or more years. met him out in the bay fishing, also worked on rebuilding his PA 12, I haven't seen him in a few years, But he was a good guy. Its to bad, he was so close to making it.

 

[Float Pilot]

Here is the NTSB PREMLIM. Although they always seem to end the same after a few months. NTSB Identification: ANC07FA006
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, November 05, 2006 in Cordova, AK
Aircraft: Cessna 180E, registration: N4141J
Injuries: 1 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
On November 5, 2006, about 1300 Alaska Standard time, a wheel-equipped Cessna 180E airplane, N4141J, sustained substantial damage when it collided with the ground during a forced landing on a remote island, about 3 miles west of Cordova, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The commercial certificated pilot, the sole occupant, received fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at a private airstrip near Wasilla, Alaska, about 1152, and was en route to the Merle K. (Mudhole) Smith Airport, Cordova.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Flight Service Station (FSS) personnel at the FSS facility, Juneau, Alaska, reported that they received a "mayday" call via radio from the pilot about 1255. The pilot indicated that he had an engine-out emergency, and was landing about 1 mile west of Cordova. Local pilots from Cordova began an aerial search and located the airplane on Hawkins Island, about 3 miles west of Cordova. Local citizens, medical personnel, and Alaska State Troopers responded to the scene, which was at the edge of an open area surrounded by trees.

The closest weather reporting facility is the Merle K. (Mudhole) Smith Airport, Cordova, which is located about 12 miles east of the accident site. At 1253, an aviation routine weather report (METAR) was reporting, in part: Wind, calm; visibility, 10 statute miles; clouds and sky condition, few at 3,000 feet; temperature, 30 degrees F; dew point, 13 degrees F; altimeter, 29.89 inHg.

 

[KLK]

Found this in the trooper web page.

 

[stevesch]

FYI:

It was Larry Hancock. Flew with him few yrs ago when he was with "fishing and flying", seemed like conservative pilot, helpful, decent guy.

Too bad.