I agree, Jr. Another thing about human nature: it's fun to fly close to the terrain, even though altitude = time = options.

I was taught to stay out of the canyons or on the ground when the wind is blowing, and to climb to a safe crossing altitude before entering a drainage heading upstream. I fly for pleasure and can afford the luxury of such minimums. I can probably still mess up badly enough to put myself into a situation requiring a life-or-death split second decision, but following those simple rules should eliminate many of the most common scenarios for having a windscreen full of trees. I hope.

CAVU

One of the things that I have taken to doing when planning a trip to an airport I have not flown into before is reading a couple of the accident reports to see if there is anything I can learn about the airport or area. I guess it shouldn't surprise me, but it does, that just about every report relates a story about pilot error. Oh sure, there is a sprinkling of actual equipment failures but even those most times only turn serious due to pilot mismangement of the situation after the equipment problem occurs. It is scary to see so many people making such obvious mistakes. I try not to take the attitude that they were stupid and I am not and it does make me wonder about my own capabilites should I be faced with a similar situation. I find myself cultivating very conservative habits when flying.

I'm in the same boat with CAVU, flying is for fun and I have higher minimums than most. I fill my shorts when I cut it too close so I don't.

I have so few hours compared to these pilots as well, I just wonder what order of events led up this.

Very sad. All my best to their families.

Zane convinced me to post a comment about this tragedy.

With all the respect and sympathy to the families and friends I hope this never happens again. Unfortunately it probably will. We all know the risks we take in aviation to enjoy this beautiful backcountry, they died doing something they loved.

If this post sound preachy it's because I am sick and tired of too many of my friends or past students crashing in the backcountry. This will be number 8 for me. Please lets learn from this and not speculate as to the cause.

So you know where I am coming from. I taught for Norcal Aviation for 7 years. During that time I flew seaplanes an average of 800 hours a year in the Sierras. Its in my blood and I love it. I left a few years ago for my current job to fly airtankers for CALFIRE, though being based in Calaveras they are still my extended family. I did not know Ned the new owner but the student Mr. Cunningham was an ex-student of mine. Norcal has been in business for about 20 years now, with an incredible safety record and an unmatched reputation for high-altitude mountain seaplane training.

I have flown in and out of Cherry Lake hundreds of times in several different seaplanes that we owned. The C-150 did have an O-320. The maintainance was menticulous, it had to be. We ALWAYS let someone know where we were and exactly what time we would be back. The mentality we had in going into the canyons and lakes was that it was a "PRIVILEGE, not a given that we would land". You NEVER go up there thinking you will land. Think about this, if your plane only climbs a few hundred fpm its a rather small down draft to stop your climb at full power! Slightly more and you are going down, at full power! Any plane that we fly is not immune to this, I don't care if you have 350hp, mother nature will always win especially in the Sierras. You have to work WITH the conditions, not against them. I carry this mentality still to this day in my personal plane and my job.

Cherry Lake is a rather large lake for a mountain lake at 5000'MSL, one mile outside the border of Yosemite. The immediate surrounding terrain rises to 6-7000' with the lake in the middle of the bowl. The day was warm. A 150/150 on that day will climb out at about 300fpm with two people and minimal gear. I would never leave that lake unless I had circled the lake and climbed about 1500 feet minimum above the lake before leaving. Once I got stuck there and couldn't get off the water due to a high DA, calm winds, flat water. So you sit and wait. There are also specific areas you could climb in that bowl would give you 5-600fpm climb due to thermals. I usually had to use them to leave the lake.

This same situation could have happened to me several year ago leaving a different lake in the Sierras at the same altitude. After flying down the narrow canyon with a wind of only 10mph I was climbing out at 350fpm. After crossing over the dam at about 100 feet I started sinking about 200 fpm at full power and at Vy. That is only a 500fpm sink. I sucked the wing tight to the sunny canyon wall and waited for lift for over a mile. Had it not been that the terrain was descending at the same rate I would not be writing this.

No one knows exactly what happened, but this forum is a great way for pilots to learn from others, even in a situation as this. I think that is what makes this a tight knit group compared to other types of flying.

"The mentality we had in going into the canyons and lakes was that it was a "PRIVILEGE, not a given that we would land". You NEVER go up there thinking you will land."

I agree with Splashpilot on that comment.

I maintained and brought this 150/150 back from Michagen a few years back with Terry and then installed the floats. It sure was a great airplane for Norcal. I dont have my log book close but I probably have 35 hours or so in that bird.

I just did a 100 hour on it about 3 weeks ago and then flew with Ned about an hour after to get current again. He was good pilot, instructor and friend.

I have also flown in the sierras with Terry in this bird and the S. Cub before. Lots of times we flew up to lakes and looked down and saw the whitecaps on the lakes. Then turned around and went back to the pond.

All my best to the family's

Dave

Splash and WW,

You made me go back and look at how much time I had in Emma (N60760). Logbook show 9.4 hours with 40 or so TO & L's including Salt Springs, Beardsley, Cherry and Donnell's and of course Don Pedro, Melones and Hogan. Some of those are high elevation (5k+) and there were times that prudence dictated we didn't let her down off the step. Point being, that was a great plane and perfomed very well, IMHO, with my big butt ( I'm 6'3" and 230 lbs) and lil' ol Terry (about 1/2 my size, soaking wet)

I have struggled a bit with this accident and will keep it in the back of my mind for a long time as it hit pretty close to home for a number of us that have trained with Norcal. That being said, without ever meeting Ned, I recall Terry relating Ned's enthusiasim about buying her out. I can only guess as to the thrill it must have been for Ned to be able to share flying floats with his students. I will never forget my first TO on Spence Pond and the landing. It borders on a spiritual experience, it is that special. The gift that Terry and Ned have given to their fellow aviators is huge and I hope all that have flown with them or will fly with Terry in the future will always have a sense of appreciation, that they have done something that only a select few will ever have the opportunity...

What is Terry up to now? Is she still instructing in the area?

1SeventyZ wrote:What is Terry up to now? Is she still instructing in the area?

Yes, she is still working at CPU and if you need a MES she has the best thing going in an Apache on amphibs...

1SeventyZ wrote: Although this does not technically qualify as CFIT, since it obviously was a nose-in impact, which suggests stall/spin as the final cause of the accident, the events leading up to that suggest a slowing climb to avoid rising terrain.

Look at the wreckage. Stall/spin from any height results in significantly more damage. This looks like a forced landing to me. Cause could have been lack of performance, down draft, engine problems, etc. But from the looks of the wreckage it came down on the floats and nosed over hard. Floats are rolled up, not crushed, tail snapped almost off in a manner consistent with the whipping effect of a hard nose over and both wings leading edges for the most part equally damaged. Look at the impact point. Looks like an open spot that unfortunately had a bit of a rock outcrop which immediately stopped the planes forward progress and dumped it on the nose.

Very sad situation. My condolences to the families and friends.

Came across this today...


http://www.mymotherlode.com/News/articl ... 1209499764

Went to Sierra Seaplanes today,Tore it up in the Apache,Great day, kinda windy<but it has been blowing ALOT around here lately. Went for a surf on Lake Tahoe 2 days ago, 5 foot waves(.I will post a photo)I wish the best for Sierra Seaplanes.Terry Is awesome,Rey is great and has the best 185 around.Hope everything works out in their favor ...Keep charging you guys