Many of you know that Lori Macnichols' son Neil perished in a crash last July http://www.deseretnews.com/article/7656 ... pilot.html still un-explained as far as I know. His Facebook page remains active and therein lies the above photos. I get around Southern Utah in planes, dirtbikes, kayaks as well as hiking and the area in these photos looks familiar to me but I can't figure out where it is. My guesses in order are 1- Somewhere along the Dirty Devil near Hanksville 2- Somewhere in the San Rafael Swell along the San Rafael river and 3- Somewhere along the San Juan river between Bluff and Lake Powell. Its not in one of the usual backcountry locations. But where?

Adding to the curiosity is the many Canyoneering photos on his page makes me wonder if this LZ is a jumping off spot for a canyon adventure ?? I wish I could speak to him…

I wondered if any of you may have known Neil and might know where he was in these photos. Maybe someone at Redtail would know???

Looks to me like all three were taken at the same spot. The first two definitely were, looking at the ridge in the background. Tire tracks match in all three.

Well, I knew Neil, but I do not know where pictures were taken. I Personally did not care for the hot country.

The first photo shows some "UNIQUE" rock formations on the far side of a river / stream. Should be hard to miss if you were low and slow on the same side of the water that Neil was parked on. High cliffs on right and brush on left then opens into a sandy area that looks like it gets flooded at times if you look closely at the soil and foliage patterns. The Rivers is not far below that soil bank.

The company he was working for may be helpful.

I met Neil about 2002 when he and Kirt were having trouble keeping Lori's gas truck running. Said they could barely make one run and then had to charge the battery again. I showed him an old farm test. We got it started - then I pulled a batter cable - the engine quit - Next day Napa had a rebuilt generator for us.
Note: If the truck had kept running then the battery would have bee the culprit.

Possibility - That model plane had an / some ADs about rust in the bottom of the struts.
Used to do a small ball peen hammer tap to test the bottom of the struts. Just a guess.

I have know the family for some time and am still unable to ask about it.
If you notice the local fire and legal offices were not jumping to get out the / a message till the press pestered then / someone.

I think I got a card off to Lori and Dick after several days of tears, but still not strong enough to call.

Best I can do for now

Trim

I didn't know him, but I do remember the day the crash was reported in the local media. The WX was good, good enough to rule it out as a factor, at least for me. It was by the Craters of the Moon I seem to remember? Possibly a little sight seeing going on? Lot's of good terrain for an emergency landing in the area, also lots of terrain unsurvivable (lava rock) depending on where exactly he went down, did they ever rule out a mechanical failure?

Trimtab wrote:I have know the family for some time and am still unable to ask about it.
If you notice the local fire and legal offices were not jumping to get out the / a message till the press pestered then / someone.

I think I got a card off to Lori and Dick after several days of tears, but still not strong enough to call.

Best I can do for now

Trim

Thanks Trim, I certainly don't want to nose around too much but I think Neil may have discovered a a great little landing zone. Maybe it will remain a secret??? Looks like a nice spot-

I met Lori in 2009 when I was helping to organize a fly-in. Lori was kind enough to stand in just after Sparky's accident to present a mountain flying seminar at the Canadian Owners and Pilots Convention in Calgary 2009. Neil was with her as an assistant, and I think Dick arrived later. Her friend Holbrook was also along.

If you can find this place, and it can be named in rememberance of Neil, I think she'd be very pleased. With that objective, it might be easier to approach her and ask for access to the original photo file and his log books to sleuth the date of the picture, and from there the area he was in that day accord into his log book.

Waterline. Silt. Powell, upstream. Just a guess.

I agree with Lee. Confluence of the Dirty Devil and Colorado. Right below Hite.

lesuther wrote:Waterline. Silt. Powell, upstream. Just a guess.

flynbeekeeper wrote:I agree with Lee. Confluence of the Dirty Devil and Colorado. Right below Hite.

Good guesses but I think the Dirty tightens up the last few miles before the Colorado. A friend once kayaked to Lake Powell and told me the last few miles scared the wits out of him because the silt walls were 30 ft high and one could easily be buried when a wall cut loose

I still think Dirty Devil based on the sandstone but no one else has ever talked about landing on the shoreline… its pretty tight. Maybe closer to Hanksville? Google Earth here I come…

Although I can't pick the spot exactly it looks to me like possibly on the Green River side. Down stream from Mineral Canyon. Judging from the rock colors etc.
Could be up around Trin Alcove also.

On another note That silty bottom is no good for landing!!! I have seen the top look exactly like that and you can't even walk across it.
Be Afraid! Be very afraid!