Glider crash at Moriarty

Took a fast look and there are 35 APRS digipeaters in NM. Think of them as cell towers with a very long range. They are networked together and connected to the Internet.

I'd suggest Googling "Amateur Radio Clubs" in your area. I'm sure you wouldn't have much trouble finding someone to give you a demonstration.

The aircraft was found very close to locations indicated by SPOT and FLARM, even though there was only one SPOT fix in the general area. The wreckage was difficult to find because it consists of very small pieces and is on a slope. The initial search also only started in late afternoon a few hours before sunset. We do not know if more location data would have helped.

Mike

On Saturday, June 6, 2015 at 5:06:26 PM UTC-6, Mike the Strike wrote:
The aircraft was found very close to locations indicated by SPOT and FLARM, even though there was only one SPOT fix in the general area. The wreckage was difficult to find because it consists of very small pieces and is on a slope. The initial search also only started in late afternoon a few hours before sunset. We do not know if more location data would have helped.

Mike

Indeed. Local search efforts did not find the wreckage despite hours over the area. This CAP article will show why. http://www.capvolunteernow.com/news/...n ewsID=20326
A few years ago, local pilots did find the wreckage of Stu Kissel's glider, but had they missed it, a little more than a day later it would have been hidden by winter snows for months.

Condolences to Joe's children and grandchildren.

Frank Whiteley
SSA Director, Region 9

On Saturday, June 6, 2015 at 8:40:52 PM UTC-7, Frank Whiteley wrote:

Indeed. Local search efforts did not find the wreckage despite hours over the area. This CAP article will show why. http://www.capvolunteernow.com/news/...n ewsID=20326

Now that opens a whole new can of worms. Distributed wreckage as described in that article is strongly indicative of in-flight breakup.

I would take the CAP report with a pinch of salt since there was no cellphone data to analyze and the location of the site was identified by FLARM and not by radar.

The disposition of the wreckage has not been confirmed, but photos I have seen appear to show most in one location.

Most of the factual data I have seem to conflict with the CAP report!

Mike

On Saturday, June 6, 2015 at 7:06:26 PM UTC-4, Mike the Strike wrote:
The aircraft was found very close to locations indicated by SPOT and FLARM, even though there was only one SPOT fix in the general area. The wreckage was difficult to find because it consists of very small pieces and is on a slope. The initial search also only started in late afternoon a few hours before sunset. We do not know if more location data would have helped.

Mike

I'm interested in the comment about FLARM; did the search use the procedure described in "FLARM® as an additional tool when searching a missing aircraft" on the flarm.com website? If yes, I'm curious how close their last known position (LKP) was to the crash site. If no, I wonder if the .igc files of those flying could be sent as described, and the LKP determined.

There used to be a direct link on flarm.com to the document, now it's buried a bit (found it at http://flarm.com/french-gliding-fede...tegy-on-flarm/ ).

There is a lot of data in the flarm messages that might locate a downed friend more quickly, if used...

Dan,
Regarding FLARM data, files were sent to FLARM for review, but the wreckage was found before the data was analyzed and the effort was then suspended. Efforts to use a portable PowerFlarm to help pinpoint the glider were unsuccessful due to the fact the glider's FLARM and transponder were, we believe, without power. We will have to wait until the investigation is complete to verify the power issue, but the only hits we received on the PowerFlarm, as we flew near the suspected crash area were (as best we can tell), transponders from the search aircraft...
Thx - Renny

On Tuesday, June 9, 2015 at 12:42:43 PM UTC-6, Dan Daly wrote:
On Saturday, June 6, 2015 at 7:06:26 PM UTC-4, Mike the Strike wrote:
The aircraft was found very close to locations indicated by SPOT and FLARM, even though there was only one SPOT fix in the general area. The wreckage was difficult to find because it consists of very small pieces and is on a slope. The initial search also only started in late afternoon a few hours before sunset. We do not know if more location data would have helped..

Mike

I'm interested in the comment about FLARM; did the search use the procedure described in "FLARM® as an additional tool when searching a missing aircraft" on the flarm.com website? If yes, I'm curious how close their last known position (LKP) was to the crash site. If no, I wonder if the .igc files of those flying could be sent as described, and the LKP determined.

There used to be a direct link on flarm.com to the document, now it's buried a bit (found it at http://flarm.com/french-gliding-fede...tegy-on-flarm/ ).

There is a lot of data in the flarm messages that might locate a downed friend more quickly, if used...