http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50188422-76/bozeman-pilot-reid-plane.html.csp

Heart skipped a few beats when I started reading (Six Two Leemer) but the pilot/plane were based at Ogden. Sad news. I hope it is not one of our gang.

1SeventyZ wrote:http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50188422-76/bozeman-pilot-reid-plane.html.csp

Heart skipped a few beats when I started reading (Six Two Leemer) but the pilot/plane were based at Ogden. Sad news. I hope it is not one of our gang.

No, it wasn't me Zane but I did know the plane and the pilot. I'm seriously bummed about this crash.

Background: My favorite 182 is the C model built in 1960. I like the fastback styling with the taller gear and the swept tail and trimmable stab. Supposedly the fastest model of 0-470 powered skylanes. I always browse the internet looking at used models for sale. Someday.

I watched one for sale in Placerville, CA stay on the market for some time and price kept dropping until it hit the high 20's earlier this year. Nice paint and a STOL kit and the price was right. Timing for me wasn't. Plane disappeared from the internet.

One day this Spring I'm pulling the Citation into the hangar and this very plane taxi's by and turns into the T-hangars. I unhook the tug and go for a closer look. Not far from my hangar, two guys jump out of the 182 and begin to put it away. I start up a conversation with the two guys, one who owns it and his buddy mechanic. They tell me stories of buying the plane from Stancil, the adventure of getting it home, their plans to put big tires on it and find a bigger engine for it. The mechanic and I strike up a conversation about Cherokee's and agree that we should all get together and fly one day.
The mechanic gives me his card and we say goodbye and that was that. I've seen him a few times since then at the FBO and we have talked a bit more.

Today I read the story of a downed plane in Montana where a mechanic borrowed his employers plane and crashed in bad weather. I go check my stack of business cards in my desk and find Jarrod's card there, he was the mechanic I had met in the plane I had admired.

I guess we'll see what they figure out- sounds like bad weather. This morning was terrible around here, I didn't see any light planes fly until this afternoon.

Crap!

More here: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=12212380

L-man, good to hear from you. Sad story.

its sad, the weather that morning was not good here in Helena low clouds and rain, we had to turn the house heater on. prime weather for carb ice, i was in SLC UT this weekend with friends they asked why i did not fly down, i explained with my job i have to be back in MT Monday morning my wife and i don't have employees even though the weather looked fine it changes so fast. it was nice when we left for home sun but soon as we got to MT it was a different story, heavy rain and poor visibility. Over the weekend west Yellowstone had a down draft that took the roofs off of motels