Plane Crash in Lake Pleasant

[scubajcf]

Plane slams into Lake Pleasant
Authorities to search water for bodies today
Brent Whiting and Lindsey Collom
The Arizona Republic
May. 12, 2007 12:00 AM

Divers from the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office are expected to hit the water early today in search of bodies from a single-engine Cessna that crashed into the south end of Lake Pleasant late Friday.

Authorities said Friday that there was no immediate sign of survivors in the water, which is about 120 feet deep.

Lt. Paul Chagolla, a spokesman for the Sheriff's Office, said there was also no word on how many people were aboard the plane, where the plane left from or where it was headed. A witness who contacted authorities late Friday may be able to provide details, he added.

An officer from the Arizona Department of Public Safety reported seeing a low-flying plane while patrolling on Arizona 74. And shortly after 8 p.m., the Sheriff's Office responded to a 911 call about the crash.

Deputies found an estimated 100-yard field of debris in the water northeast of the Waddell Dam when they arrived. The debris field was about a mile north of the 10-lane boat ramp, which is near the lake's marina.

"It looks like the plane went down right in the middle of the lake," Chagolla said

 

[Reef Man]

Saw that on the news last night!!! Very sad....Prayers for the family's of the passengers and for the safety of the recovery divers!!!

 

[GreenDiverDown]

I wonder if David is doing the dive... I'll have to call him.

 

[scubajcf]

Divers halt search, angers family
Lynh Bui
The Arizona Republic
May. 12, 2007 01:19 PM

Divers stopped searching Saturday evening for the bodies of two men whose plane crashed into Lake Pleasant while the pilot was reportedly talking on his cell phone and flying 10 feet above the water.

Family members of passenger Tim Marshall said they are frustrated that the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office won't continue recovery efforts until Monday.

Members of Marshall's family identified the pilot as Phoenix resident Clay Whitney. The Sheriff's Office would not confirm the identity of the passenger or pilot.

“I don't really know if it's right to let people continue going out there and have a recreational time while my cousin is still at the bottom,” said Jason Lopez, Marshall's cousin.

It would be too dangerous and crowded for divers to continue the search today, said Lt. Paul Chagolla of the Sheriff's Office.

The plane crashed into the south end of Lake Pleasant shortly after 8 p.m. on Friday. Divers from the Sheriff's Office spent Friday night and all day Saturday combing the crash site.

The lake was still open to boating and visitors on Saturday, and divers recovered potions of the wreckage.

The pilot was talking to a friend in a boat below and asked the friend to shine a flashlight in the air to signal the boat's location, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said.

Witnesses reported that the plane was flying about 10 feet above the water before the crash, Gregor said. FAA rules require airplanes to be at least 500 feet above any body of water if there are boats around.

Betty Jones was visiting the lake with her family Friday night when she heard a buzzing noise and then, seconds later, the sound of a crash.

“I thought something exploded,” the Phoenix resident said.

The FAA had investigators reviewing the scene of the crash yesterday, and the National Transportation and Safety Board4 will also look into the incident, Gregor said.

The pilot had rented a single-engine Diamond Star 40 from Southwest Flight Center in Scottsdale.

Company president Gary Lewin said the pilot was a regular customer and declined to comment further.

The pilot had an airline transport pilot rating, Gregor said. The license is the highest rating offered and allows those who have to it to fly commercial airplanes.

Lopez said it was the first time his cousin had flown in a plane with Whitney, an electrician.

Marshall's father, Sam Marshall, said while the delay in the search is frustrating, he doesn't want his family's loss to be clouded by anger.

“I don't believe that Tim is gone,” Sam said. “His body is in the lake, but he's with us in spirit. But I do hope we get some closure early on Monday.”

Reach the reporter at lynh.bui@arizonarepublic.com.

 

[namabiru]

While it's very tragic, you do have to wonder what the guy was thinking, if he truly was only 10' above the water AND yapping on his mobile at that. It's frightening enough that people will get in the car and chatter away on their phones--not quick calls either--, going Mach 1 down the road in heavy traffic, but now planes?

Are any of "our" divers on the search and recovery team?

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Hopefully the brothers extraordinaire are not. Everything will be on tv then.

 

[andresrumis]

Oh boy, it's tragic, Im a pilot myself and I just can't understand what was this guy thinking? flying 10' of the water and on a cell phone? Im really sorry for the loss of lives here, but on this one, it's the pilot demetial actions that kill him and passanger, no wonder people is scared to jump on a little airplanes.
I hope the divers can continue the search as soon as possible and no one else is hurt.
keep diving
DRE

 

[DESERT EEL]

I too feel sorry for the loss of life. I'm wandering if the pilot was having some sort of airplane problems or was just showing off, the end result remains the same . Not to sound to callous but we might have gotten what we all wanted ( definitely not the way we wanted it )a wreak to dive.

 

[divebri]

If the news reports are to believed (and trust me, they don't call the AZ republic the Daily disappointment for nothing, they can't get the facts straight it they bit them on the ***** most of the time), an ATP (the highest ranking in licenses for pilots) was flying ten feet off the deck, talking on a cell phone, trying to find his buddy's boat.

As a multi-engine, instrument, commercial pilot (the second highest rating you can hold), I can't even begin to tell you how many rules were violated. If he were alive, and reported, he'd never fly again, no question about it.

I don't feel sorry for the pilot, you pays your money and takes your chances. But the passenger probably didn't know the risks. I always feel sorry for people who don't know the risks and get drug into a risk-taking venture and die at something other than their own hands.

And, of course, the owner of the plane's probably a little pi**ed. It was rented.

-

 

[titandiver]

The plane has been located

Ok jk though I would wake this forum up a little who wants to go and try to find the plane before the cops I have a boat