20090830014719A

(-23) ON 8/30/2009 AT APPROXIMATELY 0900 PIPER PA-22-150, N2967P, S/N: 22-3241 DEPARTED FELTS FIELD OREGON (5S1) ENROUTE TO JOSEPHINE COUNTY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (3S8) [AKA - GRANTS PASS, OR]. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. THE AIRCRAFT IS BELIEVED TO BE OPERATED BY IT'S OWNER, ERNIE L. KNIGGE WHO WAS ACCOMPANIED BY HIS WIFE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE CHILDREN OF THE OCCUPANTS REPORTED THAT AT 0902 THEY RECEIVED A CELLULAR PHONE CALL FROM PASSENGER (ELAINA KNIGGIE) AND STATED THAT THEY HAD DEPARTED FELTS FIELD AND WERE ENROUTE TO 3S8. ETA AS 3S8 WAS 0925. AT 0927 THE JOSEPHINE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED, BY PERSONS ON THE GROUND, THAT THERE APPEARED TO BE A SMALL NEAR THEIR LOCATION SOUTHWEST OF THE TOWN OF CANYONVILLE, OR AND IT SOUNDED AS THOUGH IT'S ENGINE WAS "SPUTTERING". THEN THEY HEARD WHAT APPEARED TO BE A CRASH. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT VISIBLE TO THE WITNESS(S) AND WAS ASSUMED TO BE IN A CLOUD OF FOG NEAR THE SUMMIT OF A MOUNTAIN, ALSO SOUTHWEST OF CANYONVILLE. THE BASE OF THE CLOUD WAS ESTIMATED TO BE APPROXIMATELY 1700 FEET MSL. THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN IS REPORTED BY THE NTSB TO BE 3400 FEET MSL. THE CRASH SITE WAS LOCATED AT 2400 FEET MSL. THE CRASH SITE WAS ON AN APPROXIMTELY 30° SLOPE FACING THE NORTHEAST IN A HEAVILY FORESTED AREA. THE CRASH SITE OCCUPIED AN AREA APPROXIMATELY 30' BY 50' WITH AN EXTENDED BURN AREA OF APPROXIMATELY A 1/2 ACRE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS COMPLETELY CONSUMED BY WHAT APPEARS TO BE A POST CRASHE FIRE. THE REMAINS OF THE TWO BODIES WERE RECOVERED AT THE CRASH SITE. A TOXICOLOGY PACKAGE WAS PREPARED FOR EQACH OCCUPANT BY THE JOSEPHINE COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER AND FORWARDED TO CAMI FOR EVALUATION. RESULTS PENDING. THE ENGINE WAS ESSENTIALY INTACT WITH THE NUMBER 2 CYLINDER BROKEN LOOSE FROM THE CRANKCASE. IT APPEARS THAT THIS WAS THE RESULT OF GROUND IMPACT FORCES. THE ALL METAL PROPELLER WAS FOUND APPROXIMATELY 15 FEET UPHILL FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE AND HAS A CLASSIC "S" BEND TO IT. ONE TIP WAS MISSING AND APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN BURNED OFF BY THE POST CRASH FIRE. THE OTHER BLADED HAD A SEVERE 1 INCH GASH IN THE LEADING EDGE AT APPROXIMATELY MID SPAN. THERE WAS A TREE WITH A SECTION OF IT'S TOP MISSING IMEDIATELY DOWNHILL FROM THE CRASH SITE. THE TREE WAS BROKEN AT APPROXIMATELY THE 80' POINT. THERE WAS WHAT APPARED TO BE THE REMAINS OF THE TREE TOP FOUND AT THE BASE OF THE TREE. THE TUBULAR STEEL FRAME OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS ESSENTIALL INTACT HOWEVER IT WAS FOLDED OVER THE TOP OF ITSELF. IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO DETERMINE IF THIS WAS THE RESULT OF THE CRASH IMPACT OF DEFORMATION AS A RESULT OF THE POST CRASH FIRE. ALL WINGS AND CONTROL SURFACES WERE IDENTIFIED AND CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS ESTABILISHED FOR BOTH AILERONS, BOTH ELEVATORS, THE ELEVATOR TRIM SYSTEM, AND THE RUDDER. THE ENGINE CONTROL CABLES WERE LOCATED BUT DUE TO CRASH IMPACT FORCED AND THE POST CRASH FIRE, CONTINUITY COULD NOT BE ESTABLISHED. THE ENGINE CONTROL CABLES WERE LOCATED BUT DUE TO CRASH IMPACT FORCES AND POST CRASH FIRE, CONTINUITY COULD NOT BE ESTABLISHED. FUEL QUANTITY AT THE TIME OF IMPACT IS UNKNOWN. NOTE: IN AN ATTEMPT CONTAIN THE POST CRASH FIRE, A HELICOPTER WAS DISPATCHED TO DROP FIRE RETARDANT ON THE BURN AREA. AS A RESULT OF THIS ACTION, IT IS NOT KNOW HOW THIS "WATER BOMBING" MAY HAVE IMPACTED THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE CRASH SITE.