Yet another Plane Crash Options

[Becky_KSTS]

This crash happened only yesterday (11/10/05). Fred Zanotto, a Santa Rosa Attorney crashed his Beech Bonanza into terrain coming home from Redding. The cause is still unknown, however the pilot was very familiar with both the terrain (the Geyser Peak area) and his plane. People are baffled because he flew this route to work every week. He had just terminated flight following at 6:33 pm when the plane crashed on the west slope of the Mayacamas mountains at an elevation of about 3,000' at 6:35 pm only TWO minutes later!

I fly over this area often and the terrain is rugged and intimidating. I usually try to stay south of it to avoid having no place to land should I lose an engine. It is a straighter shot to the Santa Rosa airport, but it is not without its risks in a small plane.

I am wondering if he may have had a heart attack or if he actually flew into the terrain without realizing it! If he had flight following, surely the radar would show his altititude assuming he had the correct alt reading... it is really baffling and sad.

[Harmattan96]

Becky, what you said almost feels like an oxymoron, if a Bonanza crashes....of course it is either an advocate or a doctor. It is always one of the two.

[talldude]

I remember reading an article in AOPA magazine about some guy who crashed into terrain up in northern California. So both of these accidents have something in common.

Yes, ATC does provide altitude warning, typically at the ARTCCs, but there's a small catch. This is where taking time to actually read the AIM could have helped. According to AIM 4-1-16 certain ATC facilities could provide minimum safe altitude warning monitoring or MSAW. This service is automatic for the IFR pilot but must be requested for the VFR pilot.

Yeah, so next time you go flying along those coastal mountains, especially at night becky, talk to Oakland Center and request MSAW monitoring.

[flyingcanuck]

Poor guy, did he die or survive?

[Becky_KSTS]

Hey Tall, I read about that guy AND his wife. They flew from Oroville - "OVE " (where I am headed tomorrow-Sunday- 11/13) to Santa Rosa. It was night time and they crashed INTO Mt. St Helena. I never found out what happened in that case. They flew that route all the time. This particular evening, if my memory serves me, the weather was below minimums. They crashed and both husband and wife died.

In reference to the wreck on Thursday evening, only 2 minutes after discontinuing flight following the plane crashed. Keep in mind that this pilot KNEW the terrain and KNEW his plane. He flew it every single week.

His last words form Center was "thanks for the show" referring lightening that he observed off the Golden Gate. From that moment to his death was only 2 minutes.

I still say.....strange

[Becky_KSTS]

Oh.. and in response to your advice regarding the following:

"According to AIM 4-1-16 certain ATC facilities could provide minimum safe altitude warning monitoring or MSAW. This service is automatic for the IFR pilot but must be requested for the VFR pilot"

I never knew this existed. Good to know should I ever accidently find myself where I should not be. NO excuse for flying abuse. I won't be needing that service "knock on wood".