Ford guy here...... I have a 347 cu in stroker that has 500 + hours and 100,000 miles in my plane.... Those are HARD miles to... it has not been babied.......

I will post more tomorrow as I need to have stiff drink as I witnessed two fellow pilots die today.... Straight in, in a beautiful RV-7... N820RV. Worse then that , I was the first person at the scene and seeing 2 human being in that shape in downright ugly.. I tried to help but there was no chance.... At least they didn't suffer.. ...

Ben.

Man Ben, sorry to hear that. RIP

Damn Ben really sorry to hear that. A terrible reminder that Aviation doesn't discriminate and the consequences are very high.

Ben, I just read about those guys in the RV. That sucks really, really bad. I'll be keeping their family in my prayers.


What you saw has to be pretty traumatic. Talk to someone about it, it's really important in dealing with things like this.

Well.....

I spent alot of last night giving statements to the NPS agents in charge, took them to the tower so they could obtain the tower tapes... Seems the policy says the tower cannot release them without a proper request.... I offered to help the park rangers in any way I could... So at 7 am this morning they called and asked if I could pull off a miracle....... What a perfect thing to do to get my mind of that fatal nosedive, so I just spentall day working with the NTSB, park rangers and the local sheriff dept.... As soon as the NTSB released the wreckage to be moved I had a construction lift in place with all the straps and lifted the mess and slowly moved it into a secured hangar at Jackson Hole Aviation... Thanks Jeff Brown,,, that guy is # 1 in my book... I then went back with the double axle trailer and picked up what seemed like thousands of pieces of someones dream. loaded it up and it is also in the secured hangar now... The NTSB needed scales to weigh all the cargo, baggage and other stuff so I dug out my digital scaled and set it up for her/ ntsb to use.. Everyone I have met so far like the NTSB gal, the investigators from the National Park Service and the local Sheriff have been outstanding in their duties and I have come away with a new found respect for all of those people

As it stands now they think the prelim investigation will conclude tomorrow and they will release the wreckage to the FAA, then is gets released to the family.. I have arranged to move it to my property to save the estate storage fees as they are in no position to deal with it now.. The grieving process and funerals come first... I HAVE to help out a fellow pilot and to be honest I have NO idea who this family is, but,,, after reading a bit about him..... he was just like me.......... A true motor head and fabricator... The plane had a trick supercharger and alot of other neat goodies on it and I am sure we would have bonded like brothers... I really feel bad we had never meet.. Google N820RV and then hit images... There are several pics of a VERY nice plane.. it is hard to believe it is now reduced to little pieces and scrap aluminum in less then the blink of the eye...


Guy/ gals..... Please..... If the motor quits or for any other reason... do NOT stall your plane at 500AGL....


Godspeed to the pilot and his wife.....

Very sorry to hear about the whole thing, Ben. Thanks for helping out a brother pilot. I'm sure it means more to his family than you will ever know. My thoughts and condolences to all affected.

Sorry you had to see that, man. May they rest in peace.

Aviation in itself is not inherently dangerous. But to an even greater degree than the sea, it is terribly unforgiving of any carelessness, incapacity or neglect.

— Captain A. G. Lamplugh

No finger-pointing, just reminding. Sorry you had to witness that, Ben, but you certainly stepped up to the plate. Good on ya. Prayers for the family, and for you.

Cary

I'm definitely sorry for both the pilot's & passenger's families and loved ones. My sympathies and prayers are with them all. Also I am sorry you had the unfortunate bad luck to witness, and then attend to the wreckage and its victims. I have no doubt that the Images are seared into you memory. Bless you. You were/are very generous with your continued assistance. I/we commend you for going well beyond merely "rising to the occasion"....

lc

Sorry you had to witness that. Damn.

So sorry to hear about this. Condolences to all of those involved, the families especially. This is certainly a tragic reminder of life's uncertainty. Ben, your actions speak louder than any words and reflect the common bonds I think we all feel as aviators and compassionate humans. As was said earlier, thank you for representing what we should all strive to be.

Sincerely,
Mike

Sorry you had to go through this difficult situation.

I'll PM you next week. I'm pretty sure I'll moving my car from Cody back to Emmett later next week. If so, I'll come through Jackson to meet up for lunch if your interested.

Take care. Pat

I'm sorry also and hope I never have to watch something similar. I have experienced talking to and almost riding with some people that crashed and burned shortly after takeoff. I was in a second aircraft that took off together and was slightly in the lead when we looked back and saw black smoke that wasn't there a few moments earlier. Didn't see the actual straight in crash and when we flew back over it was just a big aluminum fire---the Cessna 180 wings were the only thing recognizable.

Geez Ben, sincerest sympathy for what you just witnessed. I hope it doesn't mess with your head.

Ben,

Sorry for all parts of your story... at least Jackson has an excellent steward for all things aviation... good job with that. That family will be forever thankful for you.

I never want to see a plane crash!

Littlecub wrote:I'm definitely sorry for both the pilot's & passenger's families and loved ones. My sympathies and prayers are with them all. Also I am sorry you had the unfortunate bad luck to witness, and then attend to the wreckage and its victims. I have no doubt that the Images are seared into you memory. Bless you. You were/are very generous with your continued assistance. I/we commend you for going well beyond merely "rising to the occasion"....

lc

Thanks every one your kind words.....

I just spend the last two days with the NTSB investigator helping them go through EVERY inch of that plane.... I am mentally drained at this point....

First let me apologize for all the times I made the comment " the NTSB will not properly investigate a experimental crash'.. This gal went over the top on researching, probing, testing, looking,, etc.... I have a profound respect for the NTSB now... This gal is GOOD...


Of course the NTSB released the wreckage today and the insurance co told me yesterday they will not make a decision till next week.. sooo.. Now the wreckage is sitting in my yard to save the storage fee the airport charges...


What a fucking week I have had...

You have plenty of good friends here supporting you! Hang in there buddy.

wow, for sure Ben, a hell of a week. been there done that, with the late great Jim Noble a few years back...hand in there...jo

OK, Guy/Gals....

This deal is finally winding down... I was hired by the NTSB to assist the investigator to completely go through that plane with a fine toothed comb. And I mean she / I looked at EVERYTHING... For all the times I made the comment that the NTSB didn't really give a crap about experimentals and not properly investigate their crashes.... I sincerely apologize.. This gal is in the early thirties and probably the smartest young person I have ever met. If she wanted to see a particular bolt, or nut, or bracket, or pushrod or ANYTHING... She and I did what we had to do to get to it...The whole process was tedious, morbid, methodical , and downright fascinating. She left no part aside and she considered all avenues of failure.. I am telling you.... Having her associated with the NTSB is wonderful asset to the flying public.. I didn't hurt that she was kinda cute too.

As it stands now, the NTSB released the wreckage to the insurance company on Sat afternoon. Of course they don't work weekends like the NTSB and yours truly so I now have possession of it and it is sitting in my yard to help save on storage fees.. I also have to hand it to this feisty brave gal... After spending days digging through the wreckage of what was a VERY nice, highly modified experimental she had absolutely no problem asking and then getting into my highly modified experimental to fly some flight profiles to try and simulate the fatal flight path and get what seemed like hundreds of pics of the crash site and the valley itself.. The whole time she had a smile on her face and really enjoyed riding in an experimental.. Even after all the time we spent digging through the mess of that RV-7.. I don't know if I should be 20 years younger or her 20 years older but................. I REALLY like her attitude, thought process, curious mind and her outlook on life.. She is gonna make some young man a great catch for sure....

I will go out tomorrow and snap a few pics of the wreckage and if anyone is curious to see how a RV-7 comes apart when it hits mother earth I will email them to you directly and I will not post those horrific pics on the net..... Also, she said there will be a preliminary report in a few days and a final report in a year or so... I will leave it at that but after watching the entire investigation process and her thirst for answers I am 100 % convinced, whatever her conclusion is, no one else could have done it better... I am still on track to send ALL funds that are sent to me by the NTSB, to the LOE fly in reps so they can give it to the family to help offset the costs of the final expenses.


I will say this once again..... Please fly safely, you can turn a perfectly good plane and wonderful humans into another NTSB investigation in the blink of an eye with just small mistake.....

Godspeed to the couple in N820RV and tailwinds and blue skys to all of you aviators..


Ben
N801BH

Sounds like that NTSB investigator is one of the good FEDS, and the one bright spot of an other wise dismal event. Funny how that happens. Hopefully I'll never meet her, and she never gets to look at my experimental.