Bonanza Missing - KCBE - 2 On Board

ggroves

ggroves

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Titanium
http://www.times-news.com/local/loca...053085308.html

Oh man.....i hope I'm not about to join the ranks of knowing someone killed in a GA accident.

Dave Summerfield is a Baltimore FSDO DPE who flies out of KCBE. I'm guessing a few folks on this board may know him or know of him. I've taken 4 of my 5 checkrides with Dave over the years (PP, IR, COM, CFII). Good pilot and great all around guy.

The terrain and weather around Cumberland can be pretty extreme. Radar coverage below 5,000 feet is almost non-existent.

My prayers go out to both pilots and to the families.

Greg
 
KCBE 220044Z AUTO 16008KT 1 3/4SM BKN008 OVC013 M05/M07 A3032 RMK AO1=
KCBE 220106Z AUTO 15005KT 1 1/4SM OVC006 M06/M07 A3031 RMK AO1=
KCBE 220127Z AUTO 18003KT 1 1/2SM OVC006 M06/M06 A3030 RMK AO1=

They would have been on the LOC/DME 23 approach. FlightAware track puts them right over the PA line

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N3815T

Greg
 
Ugh.

I saw the posts on the DC Pilots list. Bad situation, and I can't imagine that the weather was favorable.

Good to see you post again, Greg.
 
wsuffa said:
Ugh.

I saw the posts on the DC Pilots list. Bad situation, and I can't imagine that the weather was favorable.

Good to see you post again, Greg.
Click to expand...

Hi Bill...hope all is well with you!

The freezing rain, ice, snow moved through pretty quickly last night. The METARs for KCBE showed clear, clear, clear...then 1 1/4. Hate to speculate but icing would be a strong possibility.

Greg
 
ggroves said:
Hi Bill...hope all is well with you!

The freezing rain, ice, snow moved through pretty quickly last night. The METARs for KCBE showed clear, clear, clear...then 1 1/4. Hate to speculate but icing would be a strong possibility.

Greg
Click to expand...

Yep, ugly weather. I'm betting that the trees up on my mountain property are coated in ice. 2900' elevation.

I've moved to the DC area. We should do lunch again sometime.
 
I'm familiar with that area. The terrain is very rugged and forested and the area is in the heart of the Alleghney Mts. They call the Alleghneys an ice factory. The search will be tough but I will keep Mr. Summerfield in my thoughts and hope we hear good news soon.
 
They found the crash site 3 miles NE of the airport around 7:30 this evening. No word on survivors, but my guess is there are none.

I can vividly remember making that very same approach with Dave during my IR checkride in the left seat of a rental Cherokee, and instructing him on making it from the right seat in my airplane during my CFII ride. Very unfriendly territory without much margin for errors.

Adam is right, the Allegheny Mtn range generates incredible extremes in weather, including lots of ice.

My prayers to the families and the souls on board.

Greg
 
Update. No survivors. Fuselage was intact. Both wings and engine were sheared off. There was evidence of a post-crash fire.

Greg
 
Greg, I'm very sorry for your loss. My prayers go out to the families.
 
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