0
Amazon

Cessna Caravan crashed in the Cascades-Skydivers on board

Recommended Posts

Guest
Press conference scheduled for 0900 PT. That's right now.

mh
.
"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Here's a picture of Phil, the pilot, a good friend of mine. He was our "local" pilot last summer at Skydive Lost Prairie. (here he is pictured with our plane, 71T, which crashed in May).

So sad kids. I've lost too many friends and family this year...
Once you visit Skydive Lost Prairie
Your heart will never leave.

Boogie with us... www.skydivelostprairie.com

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
From reading the first reports of the crash site, and the fact that the tail isn't there, I have a feeling that they may find that the plane suffered a catastropic failiure in flight. That would maybe explain the rapid descent and the lack of an emergency call. It might also explain why the ELT failed to transmit, as they are commonly located in the tail section of aircraft. They are describing the debris field as fairly compacted and localized, so the missing tail section is a huge red flag.

I have a feeling that when they find the tail, they will find the missing jumpers nearby, or at least have some kind of a track to follow to try to locate them. I hope that they do find them. I'd hate to think of them as being unrecovered in that wilderness, for their families and our communities sake.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Kelly looked good. He has strength through adversity. I don't think that I have met his parents or sister, but they seemed to be holding on very well.

My God I can't imagine how one would even begin processing the loss of a brother...:(


EDIT: Just a point of clarification: it was Kelly Craig on the news, not Kelly Farrington for those that have asked.

~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

From reading the first reports of the crash site, and the fact that the tail isn't there, I have a feeling that they may find that the plane suffered a catastropic failiure in flight. That would maybe explain the rapid descent and the lack of an emergency call. It might also explain why the ELT failed to transmit, as they are commonly located in the tail section of aircraft. They are describing the debris field as fairly compacted and localized, so the missing tail section is a huge red flag.

I have a feeling that when they find the tail, they will find the missing jumpers nearby, or at least have some kind of a track to follow to try to locate them. I hope that they do find them. I'd hate to think of them as being unrecovered in that wilderness, for their families and our communities sake.



Gareth - I agree that it sounds like it could have been an in-flight break-up. Does anyone know what the weather conditions were at the time?
BSBD

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
A quick reminder to the entire community here, the press will be coming here if they have not already been here looking for comments and quotes to use. Please try to keep this in mind as you are posting. Don't post anything that you would not like printed in a newspaper or talked about on TV.

As names are released threads for condolences will be appearing in the Blue Skies forum. Please post your condolences and memories of these jumpers there so that we can remember each one of them better. Please feel free to start threads there if any names have been officially released already.
Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
IT was a pretty stormy weekend here and there is lots of new snow up in the Cascades.. 30 to 40 degrees o the ground probably quite a bit colder up at 13000 where they were flying. Going over the White Pass area most of the peaks are under 9000 ft elevation but just to the north of White Pass is Mt Rainier at 14,410. I have been on some of these flights in the past and we have always come back the same route more or less. Whenever I was looing out the windows I always had that thought of what it would take to survive a crash up there.. just my background... trying to form a plan in my mind even if I could not implement it.

I am not sure if they had the regular door in place but when I have gone on a couple of these trips.. the standard door is reinstalled and the jump door is rolled all the way up inside untill you get to the destination and offload the seats and doors etc and reconfigure the airplane for jump operations.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

A quick reminder to the entire community here, the press will be coming here if they have not already been here looking for comments and quotes to use. Please try to keep this in mind as you are posting. Don't post anything that you would not like printed in a newspaper or talked about on TV.



What he said. Someone at the Seattle Times tracked down my cell phone number and left me a voicemail last night. I haven't a clue why they'd contact me, and since I have nothing to say to them, I'm not answering calls from strange phone numbers today.

Blues,
Dave
"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Good insight as to the catastrophic failure. I was thinking icing, as Caravans have a propensity to do that and have no de-icing capabilities.

Maybe we should leave our packs on when travelling cross-country, even if loosely. Sad to think that all could have been saved by wearing their chutes.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

From reading the first reports of the crash site, and the fact that the tail isn't there, I have a feeling that they may find that the plane suffered a catastropic failiure in flight. That would maybe explain the rapid descent and the lack of an emergency call.



I'm thinking the same thing, and a nose-dive would be consistent with the behavior of the Caravan that got its tail taken off by a premie a couple of years ago in Austriala.

-Blind
"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
To Quote from Amazons earlier post:
Quote

I am not sure if they had the regular door in place but when I have gone on a couple of these trips.. the standard door is reinstalled and the jump door is rolled all the way up inside untill you get to the destination and offload the seats and doors etc and reconfigure the airplane for jump operations.



I am not sure if that would have made a differance. It does you no good to wear a rig if you cant get out the door. I have never been on a caravan with a regular door, I dont know how easy it would be to get that door open in an in flight emergency.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Sad to think that all could have been saved by wearing their chutes.



I thought about this a bit, too, but you must realize, if the pilot was doing his best, but still diving fast, no one could have exited, the force is too great.

aaahh poop.
Once you visit Skydive Lost Prairie
Your heart will never leave.

Boogie with us... www.skydivelostprairie.com

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

0