Sparky Imeson down, Rest in Peace my Brother

[Dave Krall CFII SEL SES]

"Highlander Country" was were he flew the most.

He's was an old, fairly bold pilot. The kind they say doesn't exist. The kind of pilot that less experienced and much less skilled pilots make up catchy and meaningless rymes about.

He's got more hours just doing run-ups for mountain flights than most private pilots will accumulate in their whole lives. His total hours represents a significant exposure to risks of all kinds and he'd never make it that long in the mountains without doing everything right most of the time.

In the first crash, it looks like he was taking an unnecessary but common and not totaly irresponsible risk, flying that low. It's done all the time.

This second event we just don't know enough yet as to cause. Incidents can be curious sometimes: At about 500 hours total PIC time, I had 2 engine failures in 6 weeks with 2 totally different aircraft with 2 different maintenance facilities. One was flying in the mountains, one at an airport -what are the odds? No problems before or since. Also, I have been hit 3 different times in 90 days by errant auto drivers, with nothing before or since!

[Dave Krall CFII SEL SES]

SAR report; http://www.helenair.com/articles/2009/0 ... _plane.txt)

Sparky's words on the first crash: http://www.mountainflying.com/Pages/crash/crash3.html
(checkout all the footer headers at the end for a real learning experience...just the photography is worth it)

[ftcaruso]

Frankly, I was dismayed when I came across this story on both the EAA and AOPA electronic web sites.  Here was someone so very versed in mountain flying and even with all of his experience, the worst happened.  I know that for many of you from the Western states,  mountains are just a way of life.  But for a flatlander like myself, they are utterly intimidating.  When I made my trip into New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and the Dakotas last summer I was terrified of wandering too deep into mountainous terrain and  always kept an interstate or valley in close proximity.  While I did manage to capture many stunning images of sheer mountain peaks and cliffs, it was always from a safe distance and with an escape route in view.  This summer I intend to again get out “on the road” with my motor home, trailer and Highlander to see some more  of the far West and experience the beauty that only this part of the country can offer...but I don’t expect to be any less fearful.  Things like this are just not supposed to happen to experienced pilots such as Sparky Imeson or Steve Fawcett...but apparently they do.

Frank  :(

[Dave Krall CFII SEL SES]

Frankly, I was dismayed when I came across this story on both the EAA and AOPA electronic web sites.  Here was someone so very versed in mountain flying and even with all of his experience, the worst happened.  I know that for many of you from the Western states,  mountains are just a way of life.  But for a flatlander like myself, they are utterly intimidating.  When I made my trip into New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and the Dakotas last summer I was terrified of wandering too deep into mountainous terrain and  always kept an interstate or valley in close proximity.  While I did manage to capture many stunning images of sheer mountain peaks and cliffs, it was always from a safe distance and with an escape route in view.  This summer I intend to again get out “on the road” with my motor home, trailer and Highlander to see some more  of the far West and experience the beauty that only this part of the country can offer...but I don’t expect to be any less fearful.  Things like this are just not supposed to happen to experienced pilots such as Sparky Imeson or Steve Fawcett...but apparently they do.

Frank  :(

Experience can only go so far Frank. He had done so much really demanding mountain flying for so long there's no question of qualifications, that's for sure. Engine failures can always happen to anyone at any time too.

Judgement is another matter entirely. Flying way high above mountains is far less risky than down closer to their surface. More time to set up and glide somewhere, plus maybe even call in a MayDay if things go wrong up high. But many routinely choose to fly lower for various reasons and therefore to accept the higher risks. An engine failure, or severe downdraft while flying that close to the surface in mountainous terrain and almost anyone is in for a bad scene, no matter what their experience level.

Nice thing about high lift airfoils such as on the Highlander, is they have stall speeds about as low as one can get in a plane. Even so, at high density altitude the groundspeed (or impact speed) at which even a Highlander will be touching down (or possibly crashing) can be 2X to 3X the groundspeed at stall while at sealevel or low density altitude.