[339A]

Just saw this on AOPA. I cut and pasted it here so others can read it that aren't members. Hope he is found OK.


Search under way for Sparky Imeson
Mountain-flying expert missing
By Alton K. Marsh

Well-known mountain-flying lecturer and author Sparky Imeson was the sole person aboard a Cessna 180 when it disappeared March 17 about 18 miles north of Bozeman, Mont. He was on a one-hour flight from Bozeman to Helena.

Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton confirmed that Imeson was piloting the aircraft registered to Mountain Flying LLC of Helena. Imeson has conducted mountain-flying safety seminars nationwide and is the author of several books on the subject.

State officials are coordinating a search along the expected flight path. An aerial search Tuesday evening failed to find the airplane or an emergency locator transmitter signal.

Imeson and another pilot survived a crash in the Elkhorn Mountains in June 2007.

Link to Article

 

[RV7Ron]

Wow! I went to one of his seminars out here in CO, very interesting speaker.

 

[RV7Ron]

Scott, sent you a PM

 

[RV7Ron]

another link...

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008879928_apmissingplane.html

 

[RV7Ron]

http://www.helenair.com/articles/2009/03/19/top/top/50lo_090319_plane.txt

 

[hydroguy2]

RIP Sparky.

He loved to spot elk and there is a large wintering herd in that area. I can see the location from my house

 

[frankh]

Awful news

Another famous aviator died doing what he loved.

Frank

 

[longranger]

The Media Strikes Again

http://www.helenair.com/articles/2009/03/19/top/top/50lo_090319_plane.txt

I wonder where the reporter dug this one up:

According to MARTIN J. KIDSTON - Independent Record...Montana pilots, however, only need to file a flight plan if traveling more than 250 nautical miles.

 

[hydroguy2]

I wonder where the reporter dug this one up:

According to MARTIN J. KIDSTON - Independent Record...Montana pilots, however, only need to file a flight plan if traveling more than 250 nautical miles.

As silly as it may seem, the Reporter appears to be correct.
Montana code

 

[n5lp]

As silly as it may seem, the Reporter appears to be correct.
Montana code

I wonder what the penalty is for that? I wonder because I apparently owe money to the state of Montana.

 

[N941WR]

As silly as it may seem, the Reporter appears to be correct.
Montana code

I doubt it would stand up in court as the states cannot impose avaition regs on us.

 

[airguy]

I doubt it would stand up in court as the states cannot impose avaition regs on us.

Thank you, I was just about to go there. The legal standing, not the state!

 

[Hawkeye7A]

RIP, Sparky

Didn't know the man personally, but the C172 I used to own was purchased from a gentleman (at the time in Sante Fe, NM) who took his primary training from Sparky. Had nothing but good things to say about him. Also, every email I received from him had Sparky's name in the address block as well.

 

[aerhed]

I'll miss the spark plug. He was SuperMentor for many in the park area. A friend of mine still has a C-85 powered airsled sparky's dad built. That's a dying thing too.

 

[osxuser]

Wait, what am I missing? Are we assuming he's dead or did they find the crash?

 

[L.Adamson]

Wait, what am I missing? Are we assuming he's dead or did they find the crash?

They found it. Links are on page one of this thread.

 

[Capflyer]

A great loss. Another aviation legend gone. Sparky was one of the people involved in writing the excellent Mountain Fury, Mountain Search Pilot Course for the Civil Air Patrol. Being a mountain qualified SAR mission pilot in CAP requires you to have taken this course, a combination of classroom instruction and lots of flying at 80-90kts off the side of mountains in places no normal pilot would ever venture. I wonder if any of his students were involved in his search?

 

[Steve]

I had the pleasure of meeting Sparky a few times over the years. The last time was during an informal gathering of Utah pilots at Smiley Creek, Idaho (annual mid-July "Friends of Skypark fly-in"). He and another pilot flew in for dinner at the lodge and he wandered into our camp and visited for a few. We swapped some stories and a good time was had by all.

Steve

 

[RV7Ron]

update...

http://www.helenair.com/articles/2009/03/20/top/50lo_090320_plane.txt

amazingly enough the crash site looks relatively flat

 

[hydroguy2]

Here's a crappy pic from my front porch(5miles south). The area appears flat, but actually has many gullies and washes.

 

[topgun260]

22,000'?

Here's another news article that shows he filed to 22,000' on a flight a couple of days earlier, they say with no oxygen. Look at the flight path on FlightAware.