The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: PegLeg45 on October 04, 2013, 06:08:38 PM
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Reports are coming in via Sheriff Jim Wilson and Ed Head on FB that a small plane has crashed near Gunsite Training Facility, killing four people who were scheduled to visit there.
http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/story/23612508/plane-reportedly-crashes-near
4 people confirmed dead in Paulden plane crash
PAULDEN, Ariz. -
Four people are dead following a small plane crash in Paulden Friday afternoon. Witnesses said it appeared to explode on impact.
The Cessna 340 crashed about 12:40 p.m. in the dry brush off of Gunsite Road, sparking several small wildland fires.
The aircraft departed from Bullhead City, Ariz. Friday, Laura Brown of the FAA said. The plane was expected to land at the Prescott Airport and those on board had a visit to the Gunsite Firearms Training Academy scheduled.
Four people were confirmed dead by Chino Valley Fire after they put out the fires and examined the wreckage.
It's unknown why the aircraft was over Gunsite prior to arrival at the airport, a spokesperson for the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office said.
Witnesses told YSCO the plane clipped some trees on the way down and also may have struck a radio tower on the Gunsite grounds.
Paulden is about 30 miles north of Prescott.
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the cause of the crash.
The identities of those on board have not been confirmed and won't be released until the next of kin are notified.
Thoughts and prayers go out to all involved.
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90% of all plane crashes are pilot error - this appears to support that percentage. Luckily they didn't crash into Gun Sight where more people could have been hurt.
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Very sad. Condolences to the families, including the Gunsite family.
Teresa and I are heading down there tomorrow.
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Sorry to hear about this.
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Arizona Crash Kills Four
Monday, October 7, 2013
What is normally a fun-filled weekend at Gunsite Academy in Paulden, Arizona turned tragic this weekend when a twin-engine plane apparently piloted by its owner James Parrish of Terrell, Texas, struck the Academy's seventy-five foot radio tower and crashed in a ball of flames after overflying the facility's campground and dining facilities.
Parrish, 57, his wife Lisa, 54 along with Gunsite instructor Mike Hughes, 65, and his wife Joy, 63, were all killed in the fiery crash. Hughes, a Gunsite instructor since 1991, was a retired Lieutenant from the Denver Police Department.
According to FAA and investigators, the plane had left Bullhead City and was enroute to Prescott when it crashed. The FAA and NTSB have completed their on-site investigation and the crash site has been cleared.
The tightly-knit community of Gunsite Academy students and fans has been shaken by the accident, but a statement on the accident from Gunsite owner Buz Mills has caused reactions ranging from shock to anger.
It appears the four were enroute to a Gunsite event known as the "Knucklehead BBQ" held at the Gunsite campground on the Friday evening preceeding the Gunsite Alumni Shoot (GAS) scheduled for Saturday, October 5.
At approximately 12:30 PM, the Mills statement says the "aircraft made an extremely low pass over the ranch north to south. He then attempted another extremely low pass east to west."
That pass ended in tragedy. "The route of flight was over Cooper's home, over the barn, the old ProShop and the office," Mills statement continued, " The right wing of the aircraft was severed from the aircraft when it struck the radio antenna mast (40' agl) at the north end of the barn. The wing rolled over the aircraft and the aircraft rolled to the right and impacted the ground, inverted, 150 yards west of the office.
When that radio tower fell, it landed just outside the covered dining area, with debris punching a hole through the dining area roof and damaging cars in the parking lot.
Tops of trees were also reportedly clipped off near the office, but no one on the ground was hurt. According to the Mills statement, that was simply good fortune as "we had over 100 people between the Mess Deck and the Proshop and throughout the parking lot having lunch, shopping, making phone clls ans so forth.
"Only by the grace of God," it continued, "was everyone on the ground spared. This incident could have been a major tragedy.
For a tighly-knit community united by a common affection for a firearms training facility that emphasizes safety and responsibility at all times, the news of the loss has touched off reactions ranging from shock and sorrow over the loss to anger and frustration that anyone familiar with Gunsite's strict emphasis on safety would "do something so stupid."
The investigaiton into the cause of the accident continues, but it seems fairly apparent the the official FAA/NTSB investigation will find this one to be a clear case of poor judgement and pilot error.
As always, we'll keep you posted.
http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/features/228099