20040328004869A

(-23) Item 6 cont: 5 nautical miles north/northeast of santiam junction state airport (8S3)(13.73 miles west of camp sherman, or 97730). On Sunday, March 28, 2004, approximately 1730 pacific standard time, a Cessna 182Q, N96719, impacted the west slope of three fingered jack mountain, between the middle and south peak, about 7 miles northeast of santiam junction, Oregon. The private pilot and his two passengers received fatal injuries, and the aircraft, which is owned and operated by a business entity of the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The local 14 CFR part 91 personal pleasure flight, which departed bend municipal airport, bend, Oregon, about 20 minutes earlier, was being operated in daylight visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed. There was no report of an ELT activation. According to local law enforcement officials, the pilot and his passengers departed the bend airport with the intention of flying over last year's b & b complex fire area, which is in the general area of the accident. When family members reported concerns due to losing contact with the pilot and passengers, who carried cell-phones, a missing aircraft notification was published and a search ensued. In the alnot (alert notice), the tower at salem airport, where the Cessna 182Q was based, reported that N96719 departed salem around 1500 pacific standard time, the presumed initial flight of the day. Family members reported having cell-phone contact with the pilot while he was "over" bend. The aircraft was located the next afternoon at 6820 feet MSL, on the west side of the ridge between the middle and south peak of three fingered jack mountain. An army air national guard UH-60 helicopter was dispatched to the scene where military crewmembers determined that there were no survivors. Preliminary radar data indicated that the aircraft traveled in a northerly direction along the east slope of the mount jefferson wilderness area, and then crossed over to the west slope on the ridge and proceeded south. When the aircraft reached a point adjacent to three fingered jack, the radar track indicated it turned to the east at approximately 5700 feet. The wreckage site was located approximately one mile east of that last radar plot. Strong easterly winds were reported for that period. The recovery team took photographs and documented the accident site. The wreckage was found intact at 6,820 feet MSL, heading 276 degrees magnetic, on a 30 degree downslope, with an impact angle calculated to be about 30 degrees to the slope, (impact altitude about 60 degrees nose down). Recovery crews found it necessary to cut through the rear window area, the wing root area and wing struts of the wreckage to extract the occupants. Other than completion of the private pilot practical test on June 19, 1996, satisfaction of the flight review requirements of 14 CFR 61.56 was not documented anywhere in the accident pilot's logbook or flight records. Of all the local flight instructors who were contacted at the salem airport, none recalled having ever flown with the accident pilot. On March 31, 2004, the spm of the pdx FSDO received a call from an individual who was skiing on mt bachelor on March 28th. The individual identified himself as a private pilot and he reported observing a light colored Cessna 182 conduct "unusual" maneuvers in close proximity to the mountain, above the tree line and below the peak of the mountain. Although the weather was clear, the winds were quite strong out of the east and made the skiing conditions uncomfortable. He described the maneuvers as "the Cessna 182 flew from west to east on the north side of the mountain. It was unusually close to the mountain and climbing at a slow speed with what sounded like a high power setting. The 182 then made a right descending turn, as it appeared to pick up speed while the power sounded like it was reduced. This manuever was repeated twice." A follow-up interview with the witness, conducted on April 12, 2004, established the time of his observations of the Cessna 182 between 1300 and 1330 pacific standard time. When asked how he knew it was a 182, he replied: "because of the sound of the engine. It obviously had more power than a 172." Further review of the salem ATCT tapes revealed that N96719 departed salem at 1242 pacific standard time on March 28th, headed eastbound. Radar data indicated that the Cessna 182 proceeded to Mt. Bachelor, where radar contact was lost at 1323 pacific standard time, within the same time period that the witness observed the unusual maneuvers. (-23 amendment) witness (second from last paragraph, beginning with a follow-up interview, continuation page) further narrowed time of his observations to between 1315 and 1330 PST. A follow-up interview with the witness, conducted on April 12, 2004, established the time of his observations of the Cessna 182 between 1315 and 1330 pacific standard time.