We (The Gadsden Air Corps) has just received funding for a fixed wing drone. It'll have a 10mile range and 1hr flight time. It'll have infrared and an 11megapixel GPS camera.

While it will send an FPV signal, the resolution is only 480i.

If we have it by then, we will bring it to the BCP flyin.

That's awesome, Cory. Can you bring it to Oshkosh, too?

Hello everyone, I put together this document detailing the search efforts.

https://sites.google.com/site/searchfor ... Report.pdf

Well here is the info on the accident....

http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief ... 3812&key=1

NTSB Identification: WPR14FA094
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, December 01, 2013 in Yellow Pine, ID
Probable Cause Approval Date: 08/28/2014
Aircraft: BEECH B36TC, registration: N36ML
Injuries: 5 Fatal.
NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The instrument-rated pilot was on a 234-nm instrument flight rules (IFR) cross-country flight over mountainous terrain; instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. During the flight, the pilot notified a controller at the Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) that the airplane was picking up too much ice and requested to divert to an airport located about 96 miles ahead of his position and to descend to 11,000 feet mean sea level (msl). The controller informed the pilot that he could descend to 12,000 feet msl for terrain clearance. Over the following few minutes, the ARTCC controller notified the pilot several times that he had to maintain an altitude of 12,000 feet or above due to terrain clearance, all of which the pilot acknowledged. Following a low-altitude alert issued by the controller, the pilot stated his altitude was 11,500 feet. Subsequently, the pilot advised the controller that he was having engine problems and needed to go to an airport immediately. When the controller asked the pilot to verify his altitude, the pilot responded that he was at 10,000 feet. The controller then asked the pilot if he was able to climb, and the pilot responded “negative.” The controller advised the pilot of an airport that was 24 miles behind his position and asked if he wanted to divert. The pilot responded affirmatively and asked for guidance to the airport. About 1 minute later, the pilot advised the controller that the airplane had “just lost its engine.” The controller advised the pilot that the airport was at the pilot’s six o’clock position and suggested a heading of 253 degrees, adding that another airport was right below their position. There were no further communications with the accident airplane.Wreckage and impact signatures were found consistent with a wings-level, slightly nose-low descent into trees and terrain. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunction that would have precluded normal operation. Airmen’s Meteorological Information (AIRMETs) for IFR and mountain obscuration conditions, low-level wind shear and turbulence, and moderate icing were issued for the flight track area and timeframe. In additional to the AIRMETs, multiple pilot reports included reports of light rime-type icing between 8,000 feet and 13,000 feet throughout the region and National Weather Service data was consistent with the pilot reports and AIRMET that were current at the time. The investigation was unable to determine whether the pilot obtained weather information regarding his planned flight. It is likely that the loss of engine power was due to a combination of structural and induction icing during the continued flight in icing conditions in an airplane that was not certified for flight in icing conditions. 

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The pilot’s continued flight into known light-to-moderate icing conditions over mountainous terrain. Contributing to the accident was the loss of engine power due to induction icing.

Full narrative available

The likelihood that his engine problems were induction icing related, according to the report, should be a reminder to all that whether carbed or fuel injected, all engines can be affected by ice. I've had that experience several times in carbed aircraft, always solved with carb heat, and once flying a 231 Mooney.

We were north of Pueblo, southbound in the clouds at 12,000' in very cold weather, so cold that the likelihood of ice on the wings was close to zilch. I had the pitot heat and the hot prop on. I periodically checked the wings, and they were completely bare, although there was frost inside the windows. I had flicked on the autopilot to check the chart for the upcoming turn over La Veta Pass toward Alamosa, when I noticed it getting quieter. I saw the MP winding down and the airspeed dropping as the autopilot attempted to maintain altitude. I clicked off the autopilot, lowered the nose to regain airspeed, and started trouble shooting. When nothing seemed to work, I called Center and declared an emergency and asked for vectors to the nearest airport (this was pre-GPS).

I only had to turn a little to point toward Pueblo, but they were calling the weather there as 200 and a half in light snow--bare minimums. The likelihood of a successful landing in those conditions was minimal.

As we descended, I continued to trouble shoot, and suddenly I remembered that the alternate air door in that airplane was manual, not automatic, controlled by a knob hidden just ahead of my right knee under the panel. I reached down, pulled the knob, and the engine roared back to life.

I cancelled the emergency, climbed back up to 12,000', and we continued on to Durango, our destination. Over the San Luis Valley, it was clear and remained clear all the way to Durango. But upon landing, I looked at the front of the airplane, and there was a good couple of inches of ice all over the cowl's nose, blocking the air intake. I don't know this, but I wondered if running the hot prop had something to do with melting the "clouds" and having the ice reform on the cowl.

So although the NTSB found that the Bo's alternate air door worked automatically as it was supposed to, it's entirely possible that it had frozen closed in flight. Whether the pilot attempted to manually open it with the handle is an unknown. But it's a good bet that had it opened, the flight could have safely landed at McCall or Salmon, or Johnson Creek. Very sad.

Cary

Many of us followed this quite closely. This was just printed in a couple of local papers, the Ravalli Republic and Missoulian.

What a remarkable woman!

http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-re ... ab44f.html