I'm going on a quest to find my grandparents plane crash site.

[skip68]

I've heard the story many times when I was younger and recently have decided to try and find the location where my grandparents and aunt and uncle died.  It was in the late 60's and was my grandparents private plane.   They were found two days after the crash in the thick timbers of southern Oregon.  They were killed instantly except my uncle Todd.   They said he died hours after the crash because of marks made by him in the fuselage.    There are several personal items that were not recovered and I'd like to see if I can find them with a metal detector.  

So, now I have to make some calls and see if I can somehow get the coordinates.    It was extremely difficult and steep wooded terrain.   Not sure what I'll find if anything but I need to at least try and look.   There is a U.S. marshal badge that my dad gave my uncle that was never found and some other things.    I'd love to find it.  
Just thought I'd share as some may find it interesting.   Hopefully I can have search area information within a week or so.  I'd like to do this before the weather gets bad for winter.   I'll post any pictures I can.   
Any tips will be welcomed.   

[Mopar Nut]

That would be cool to find and I love metal detecting, I wish you the best. Can you hire a helicopter?

[Alaskan_TA]

Links for researching civilian aircraft crashes - http://aviation-safety.net/index.php & http://www.baaa-acro.com/

[stripedelete]

Good luck on your quest.  Sounds fascinating.

[birdsandbees]

Any more details you can share and I'll see if any of my contacts in the aviation industry can help. Airplane type would be a start and the year?

[Dino]

Good luck on your quest. I'd be interested to hear about the whole search process.

[skip68]

It was September 1968 and the plane was a Navion. I think that's how you spell it but I don't do or know planes.  It was outside of Sweet home Oregon on Green Peters mountain.   I found an old article from a Oregon newspaper but can't read it.   The print is not good.   
Thanks Alaskan for the link.   
I'll check it out right now.     

[birdsandbees]

Okay.. I'll see what I can find out? Yes, Navion is a valid aircraft!

[skip68]

Thanks birdsandbees.    

[polywideblock]

good luck in your quest   

[twenty mike mike]

Hope this helps.

http://www3.gendisasters.com/oregon/18630/green-peter-mountain-or-private-plane-crash-sep-1968

http://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=10485&key=0

Lots of conflicting info.

[skip68]

 I can't open the bottom link but the top one is it and the only report I've found.   My dad was responding at the bottom back in 2011.   I know my dad said that those 4 people were stealing and I'm sure they probably were taking parts.  But I don't think they were robbing the bodies and stuff.   It was a violent crash in the woods with stuff ejected so I'd imagine the gun, badge and other things could be in the brush or buried.   My grandmother was ejected and partially buried at the base of a tree and the crash site covers a large area from what I understand.   So I'm quite positive that things got scattered and hidden from sight.  

[polywideblock]

NTSB Identification: SEA69A0021
14 CFR Part 91 General Aviation
Aircraft: NAVION A, registration: N8552H
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3-4537  68/9/14  NR.SWEET HOME,OREG    NAVION A            CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 48, 80 TOTAL        TIME - 1604                    N8552H              PX-  3  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  HOURS, 25 IN TYPE, NOT                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            INSTRUMENT RATED.        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: UNCONTROLLED                IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)           PILOT IN COMMAND - ATTEMPTED OPERATION BEYOND EXPERIENCE/ABILITY LEVEL           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS           PILOT IN COMMAND - SPATIAL DISORIENTATION        FACTOR(S)           WEATHER - LOW CEILING           WEATHER - TURBULENCE, ASSOCIATED W/CLOUDS AND/OR THUNDERSTORMS        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE        WEATHER FORECAST - WEATHER SLIGHTLY WORSE THAN FORECAST        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE          UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED                                      600        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE          5 OR OVER(UNLIMITED)                                     RAIN        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F          NONE                                                      61        WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES                                   WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS          210                                                       14        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN          IFR                                                      VFR        REMARKS- NOT INST RATED.Full narrative is not available


Aviation Accident & Synopsis Query Page



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hope this helps its the bottom link 

[skip68]

 
Thanks poly & Mike.   Wow, inaccurate is right.   My grandpa taught my dad to fly.    He had very little log hours since his private license and I'm guessing that's why they said inexperienced as possible causes.    I was told that the weather got severe and my grandpa was on the radio with Eugene airport and he was going back when they lost contact.   

[67440chrg]

Good luck! It is a interesting quest to be on.

[birdsandbees]

Same info my friends dug up skip.

http://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=10485&key=0

[skip68]

Thanks for your efforts.   

[skip68]

That report has errors.  I need to know which side of green Peters mountain they plane actually went down on.  If the report was correct, and my grandpa kept flying north into severe weather as the report states then the wreckage should be on the south side of the mountain.  But my dad had spoken to the Eugene tower and they said they were in contact for several minutes with my grandpa and he was coming back.  That would put the wreckage on the north side of the mountain.    
I wish there was more details in the report.  There has to be.  Just a matter of finding it.   

[Alaskan_TA]

One report says it happened on the MT. at 4200 feet, but according to the map at http://www.peakbagger.com/map/BigMap.aspx?cy=44.483096&cx=-122.582874&z=13&l=CT&hj=0&t=P&d=56035&c=0&a=0&sx=-999&sy=-999&cyn=0 it is only 3,977 feet tall. So it should be near the top. If you reach the top & do not see it, do a spiral search pattern on your way down. Binoculars are great for spotting reflections off man-made objects if the sun is out also.

[skip68]

  Thanks Alaskan.   Great map.   It appears there is a 4×4 road going up.   

[dual fours]

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Green+Peter+Lookout/@44.482333,-122.5853375,1335m/dhttps://www.google.com/maps/place/Green+Peter+Lookout/@44.4927287,-122.5788314,14.76z/data=!
The Radio Tower is smack on top, road going up looks open. Click on Earth and zoom in on center of picture to see the tower, open menu and click on terrain and go North on the ridge, you will see a 4080' peak with a unnamed road. Good luck and wish I was able and closer.
Check with Old timers that may have been logging the area in 68, they would be in there late 60's early 70's maybe, they may hang out in Bars.

skip68, sorry I double posted the map, information you already had.

[skip68]

No problem.  Thanks 

[birdsandbees]

Skip.. from some aviation friends of a friend in Oregon.

N44' 28.986
W122' 34.982

the crash site is 1000' east of green Peter mtn lookout.
the debris field is 400 yards long and I heard some parts of plane might be in the ponds.
i was told the elevation was inaccurate.

Don't have contact information, but told that a Tim Tallen in Springfield Oregon knows everything about aviation incidents in the area if you get stuck on your quest.

[skip68]

Thank you so much birdsandbees.     
I'm going to look him up.   I'm going to make my first trip up there next week.   Just to scout out the area and talk with some locals.   I kinda want to get an idea as to what I'm looking at far as terrain and accessibility.   This might be harder than I thought to find. 
Thanks again.   

[birdsandbees]

Good luck Skip on your quest. I'm sure it will be an emotional journey no matter the end outcome. Glad I could help out through my network of pilot friends.

Wayne