Condolences to friends and family.

Sorry to hear this. Thoughts and prayers for his family and friends.

I met Miles last Mar. in Casa Grande, he had one of Bruce Kown's TD 175's w/ a 220 Franklin, beautiful paint job, late H stabilizer; enjoyed visiting with him there, lots of friends around, worked with Jeff Griggsby, an aquaintance from Boulder. CO, now in Bayfield, still rebuilding Indian bikes.

Updated news article here:

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=30378577&nid=148&title=colo-man-killed-in-plane-accident-in-san-juan-county&s_cid=queue-10

A tragic ending. My condolences to his family.

Oh no! Dammit. I met Miles at Cave Man last year and we hung out the whole weekend. We kept in touch chatting about 220 Franks. Such a bummer to hear, prayers to his family.

We talked with him at the Mack Mesa fly-in, what a great guy. He will be missed.

So do I get this right. Berry lost radio contact east of Moab then turned around for a looksee. No contact made so he continued on to Brigham City to make report. I must have the geography wrong.

tim

After more thought I think I would do the same. One would assume that the reason for lack of radio communication would be anything other than the plane going down. I would assume that I would find my buddy waiting for me in Brigham City wondering what took me so long.

Tim

Lost a good one. Miles will be remembered as a great guy and friend.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts, cares, and prayers.
This is a tough one. Miles is a one in a million. Great guy, liked everyone and vise versa.
We have been great partners in crime for many years.
He has a great woman, not to into flyin(but did like it when she went), but still a great woman, giving him support to follow his dreams wherever the took him.

I will forward this thread to her so she can see the support from this community.
Gary

I'm so sorry for your loss, Gary, and glad you had the chance to raise so much ruckus together over the years. He was a hell of a guy.

Gary,
Had a few internet and phone dealings with Miles.
Seemed like a fellow I would have enjoyed sitting around a campfire with.
I can't imagine the loss that close friends are feeling, but I feel pain.
Look forward to sitting around a campfire telling stories about Miles!

237

Gary is a great guy and if he thinks highly of a person that is a good compliment. I wish I could have met him.

Tim

Prayers for his wife, family, and friends. So sorry.

Cary

Does any one know Miles BCP screen name?

This really is a tough one.. I haven't told Teresa yet, I'm still in JC.. But she's going to take it hard too.. I can't e mail her that kind of news. God speed Buddy...

Does any one know Miles BCP screen name?

Dirtbagrookie

I doubt he ever posted. Had been a member for a couple years. Flying most of his life. Small planes to as large as 747's(I think).
He had been easing his way into backcountry flying over the last few years. He has bought the 175/220 Franklin several years ago. Converted it to a tail wheel plane. He was an A&P,IA, Just graduated to 8,50's. A very methodical/cautious pilot.

He has been rebuilding Indian motorcycles for nearly 40 years. Also big into building street rods. Recently turned the remains of a 32 Ford into a 12 valve 4x4 show winning ranch truck., Built a car 1 time that won Hot August Nights in Reno. So, a very capable/talented fabricator.

Gary knew him forever. I was only lucky enough to know him a short time. Met him at JC a few years back, and caught up again at Mack last month. He told great stories. He did fly the 747, telling me about the time they exploded an outboard engine over England. He told the flight engineer to go back in the cargo bay and see what they had left hanging off the wing (he explained the #4 is so far back on the swept wing you can't see it from the cockpit). The turned around and landed in Frankfurt. Told me about another crew (Miles wasn't aboard) that was flying a 747 over Canada in the middle of the night and somehow ended up in an inverted dive for the ground from FL40. Miles thought the yaw dampener quit working and the plane slowly oscillated itself back and forth until it rolled all the way over on its back and then headed for the ground. Took them 30,000 feet to recover the dive and eventually roll the plane upright. Miles said the flight data recorder showed the 747 broke the sound barrier on the way down. Needless to say, they retired the bird after that particular flight.

Said he didn't like flying the 747 as much as the DC-9, because the -9 was a lot more fun to hand fly up and down the valleys in Alaska. He told me I'd be amazed at what you can do with a cargo plane once you drop off the radar!

Wish I'd had many more years to hear his stories at fly-ins, but I'm sure glad I got to hear the ones I did. He was definitely one of the good ones.

I want to see the NTSB report. I feel sick.

There will be a memorial/party celebrating Miles's life. It will probly be in a month or so after things have settled down some and giving folks time to plan for it. If anyone is interested I will post the time and location here. Probly be a place you can fly into,but don't have to. It should be a bittersweet good time.
Gary .