Crash at S37

[dmccormack]

I flew up to Scranton today for a pre-buy. About 1700 a string of text messages come through -- "Are you OK? Where are you?"

One of our friends learned a "Single engine airplane with a single passenger went down" near Smoketown airport.

I assured everyone I was fine, took off, called Flight Service -- no NOTAMS or other news.

I announced, flow left upwind and saw the aircraft ina small square of turf just west of the last hangars and east of a bridge.

Winds were calm, ceiling around 7k -- IOW, perfect VFR weather.

Fire police were managing access, at least three news vans were on scene. It looked like a 172. He might have clipped the trees or power lines just west of the field, but he must have been very low. Might have been power failure? Not sure.

I'll ask around at the airport this week after the dust clears.

http://www.wgal.com/slideshow/news/29617900/detail.html

 

[Aztec Driver]

I flew up to Scranton today for a pre-buy. About 1700 a string of text messages come through -- "Are you OK? Where are you?"

One of our friends learned a "Single engine airplane with a single passenger went down" near Smoketown airport.

I assured everyone I was fine, took off, called Flight Service -- no NOTAMS or other news.

I announced, flow left upwind and saw the aircraft ina small square of turf just west of the last hangars and east of a bridge.

Winds were calm, ceiling around 7k -- IOW, perfect VFR weather.

Fire police were managing access, at least three news vans were on scene. It looked like a 172. He might have clipped the trees or power lines just west of the field, but he must have been very low. Might have been power failure? Not sure.

I'll ask around at the airport this week after the dust clears.

http://www.wgal.com/slideshow/news/29617900/detail.html

Holy crap. I left the airport less than an hour before that. The end hangar in the picture is mine. The runway, 10, is almost two hundred feet to the right. A little more to the right and he would have ended up in my hangar. The artcle says he was injured. I hope not badly.

 

[dmccormack]

According to one news story Mel speculated that he "came in a little low."

I still don't see how he ends up there -- it's pretty far from centerline!

 

[dmccormack]

Pilot was released from hospital and is home.

Broken limbs from trees where airplane clipped are still hanging.

Airplane missed falling onto an electric sub station by a few dozen feet.


Airplane had been up for sale. 172 shoppers may be able to knock a few bucks off....