Hatcher Pass - Plane Down

Even if you don't believe your off-airport landing rises to the level of "accident" (as defined by NTSB 830.2), check your ELT. If your ELT has been activated, and you do not need the SAR folk to come find you, disable it, and call the nearest air traffic control facility to cancel the alert. You can also call the Air Force SAR coordination center at (800) 851-3051. -That pilot has got some explaining to do!
 
If a pilot leaves a wrecked aircraft in the middle of nowhere, it is the pilot's responsibility to report the location and circumstances of the wreck to the appropriate SAR authorities. I agree with wilkersk above, that the subject pilot has some 'splainin' to do.
 
Capngrog said:
If a pilot leaves a wrecked aircraft in the middle of nowhere, it is the pilot's responsibility to report the location and circumstances of the wreck to the appropriate SAR authorities. I agree with wilkersk above, that the subject pilot has some 'splainin' to do.
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He should be havin' some payin' to do also.
 
"... he was able to self-rescue with the help of someone else."

:sigh:
 
2-Bit Speed said:
"... he was able to self-rescue with the help of someone else."

:sigh:
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In the SAR business, and in back-country sporting, the concept of "self-rescue" just simply means and organized search and rescue effort by first responders wasn't needed. Climbers, back country skiers, mountaineers, and back country pilots all take a lot of pride in the idea that if it all goes to hell, they've got the skills to get themselves home.
 
Regardless, he’s not pushing up daisies or posting to YouTube about it, so I’m going to call this a win.
 
I agree that this entire incident ended in a "win" of a sort; HOWEVER; the pilot's irresponsible actions post-crash were not without cost. Fortunately this cost was only monetary and didn't involve the loss of life of one of the SAR participants.

I quote from the above-linked article:
"Following the signal, no distress calls or reports of downed aircraft came in, but the Civil Air Patrol began looking for downed aircraft with eight volunteer members over multiple days, who searched for five hours in the air and 13 hours on the ground when severe weather hampered aerial searches."

SAR personnel frequently risk their lives in their efforts to find a missing aircraft and or pilot, and to put these folks at risk needlessly should involve a sanction of some kind (just my opinion).
 
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