Eagle Field Boogie - June 21, 1981

[rmarshall234 13]

Were you there when the Twin Beech from Yolo almost crashed?

Here's how I remember it:

After a great weekend of jumping we loaded up the Beech to return to George Morar's dz in Yolo and Mel (the pilot) decided to buzz the dz on the way out. We were pretty heavy and this was pre-seat belt days too. After a nice low pass, wing rock with one of the chicks flashing everyone her tits, Mel pulled up sharply and we all slid aft. I remember seeing the horizontal stab shaking violently from the pre-stall buffet just before the stall and the drop of the left wing. My logbook says he pulled us out of the dive at 25 feet but I suspect that was an adrenaline induced recollection. I do know that was the quietest flight with a bunch of skydivers I've ever been on. And (even still) the closest I've come to cashing-it-in in this sport.

Robert Marshall
C-14927

[Kiwi55 0]

What happened to George Morar?

I jumped there regularily in the late 70's and early 80's. Went back to New Zealand in 1984. I believe George went in shortly after. I rarely saw him jump while I was there. His daughter (If I remember correctly) started jumping shortly before I left (after working the manifest for several years.

Was Mel the young guy who was also an aircraft mechanic (memory isnt what it once was).?
...Paul

[rmarshall234 13]

It happened after I moved back to So Cal, but what I heard is that he was putting a static line student out of the Cessna and had a premature opening of his own gear. He cleared the aircraft and cutaway what he thought was his open/damaged main canopy, but it turned out he was under his reserve. If anyone remembers this differently, please respond.

I remember his daughter too - Lori. She started jumping for sure but I don't know what became of her.

Mel was a young guy (not the older guy that also flew the D-18) but I don't remember him being an A&P.

My two sisters and I had a lot of fun jumping at Yolo and I personally liked George. His gruff attitude didn't bother me and he used to let me borrow his Racer with a Pegasus in it.

[Kiwi55 0]

If Mel is the guy I remember he also did maintenence on the plane (may not have been qualified).
One day we were climbing and at about 8000ft one of the engines started missing. I was sitting in the copilot seat. Mel got up, told me to take the controls and went back to the door. He was leaning out the door at 8000ft with no rig checking out the engine. He never asked and had no clue whether or not I could fly a plane. Fortunatly he didnt fall out (and I did have some flying experience) and the jump proceeded normally.
I also remember some night jumps for WNSCR (Womans Night SCR). The first jump went fine, the second was pretty late, at about 10,000 ft and miles from the DZ we ran out of fuel. We all got out somewhere near the DZ and he had to deadstick land at night. Fortunatly the runway at Yolo was long and wide and he had no problem...

[rmarshall234 13]

That sounds like the good ol' Yolo DZ I remember. Although, we had a jump pilot recently (I won't say where) that was seen geeking - out of the big door - the last tandem video as they exited. Glad to say...the more things change the more they stay the same. I'll contact you offline so we can reminence about Yolo.