How to almost die in the mountains

denverpilot

denverpilot

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DenverPilot
I agree that sure moves like a radio control model. No engine sound to tell, but the scale and movements seem more like a model. I put the still images through some software and it distorts the images a very great deal, but there does not seem to be an N-number on the rear fuselage.449053810_347142734934180_7024094343227737974_n-t-very_compressed-width-3000px.jpg
 
Looks fake. Notice the shading on the rocks in the background. The Sun is to the left in the photo and shading to the right. The undersides of the wings should be shaded but they are awfully bright looking to me. The undersides of the wings are brighter than the vertical stabilizer as well. If this was done with AI it isn't very good. Also, the comments of the photographer seem off.
 
Don't planes have to have the tail number on the underside of the wings? I know my plane does.
 
Chrisgoesflying said:
Don't planes have to have the tail number on the underside of the wings? I know my plane does.
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Not in the US, and I believe there was a short period in the late 70s when the N number on the tail only had to be 3". This plane appears to be one of those.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
A) Note that this is faked?
or
B) Not fake? (ie you made a typo)
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Typo! Look up the ADSB track. It was the same spot on the same day. This is NOT a photo shop job. This guy got lucky as hell. I think the bright light must have been a light reflection of the white snow on the mountain.
 
piperpainter said:
Typo! Look up the ADSB track. It was the same spot on the same day. This is NOT a photo shop job. This guy got lucky as hell. I think the bright light must have been a light reflection of the white snow on the mountain.
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Let me be very candid he was flying a 152 and following I-70 over Loveland Pass. He was stupid. Incredibly stupid. As per the ADSB track, over Breck he was over 13K. I will buy a beer for every member of POA if anyone can take a 152 up there, in Colorado, on a July summer day.

I've taken my 180 hp cherokee to 13K in late June over La Veta Pass and it was a struggle.
 
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Still think it's fake. The picture in the news article does appear to match N65440, but there's no place in the video that matches that still, nor any way to get a still of the resolution of any of the ones in the article. The ADSB track does appear to match and the speeds look reasonable, but there's still something fishy about this. Here's an online pic of the plane. Note the underside of the wings are brown. In the news article picture they're white.
 

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Hang 4 said:
Still think it's fake. The picture in the news article does appear to match N65440, but there's no place in the video that matches that still, nor any way to get a still of the resolution of any of the ones in the article. The ADSB track does appear to match and the speeds look reasonable, but there's still something fishy about this. Here's an online pic of the plane. Note the underside of the wings are brown. In the news article picture they're white.
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Dude, the wings are not brown. It's a reflection from the ground.
 
dmspilot said:
Dude, the wings are not brown. It's a reflection from the ground.
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You're correct, found some other pics. Still think the video is fake. There were two people taking pictures. The stills in the news article are clearly of the actual plane and the ADSB track aligns with where it was. The phone video on the other hand just feels wonky to me. If that video is real, the pilot needs to buy a crap ton of lottery tickets.
 
Just to add to the discussion - according to the ADS-B exchange info, I know this plane and have flown dozens of hours in it. Didn't realize that until I saw the N-number, though the paint job is somewhat distinctive because the stripes are actually Mopar "Plum Crazy Purple" from the 1960s. It's a school/rental plane and a "Sparrowhawk" with high-compression pistons giving it 125 hp. I have not flown it since before 2020 and do not know its current condition or who's flying it these days.

I'll attest it's an actual aircraft, but can't speak about the video's authenticity.
 
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www.pilotsofamerica.com

Near miss/ CFIT

Talk about lucky...check this out https://www.skyhinews.com/news/plane-nearly-crashes-into-continental-divide-in-colorado-on-july-4/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1LC5ns3qeBZW9gHsdNGXPdjRcOVpD32mFsIvAqqEffhIAR8rbYlrfYXw0_aem_QB2N9kFBxuiYCoe2_HekMw
www.pilotsofamerica.com www.pilotsofamerica.com
 
Racerx said:
Low wings are the conservative bunch. Them raunchy high wings leave nothing to the imagination. Let you see everything.
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Most of them don’t have wheel pants either.
 
dmspilot said:
Not in the US, and I believe there was a short period in the late 70s when the N number on the tail only had to be 3". This plane appears to be one of those.
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(1) Fixed-wing aircraft, must be at least 12 inches high, except that:

(i) An aircraft displaying marks at least 2 inches high before November 1, 1981 and an aircraft manufactured after November 2, 1981, but before January 1, 1983, may display those marks until the aircraft is repainted or the marks are repainted, restored, or changed;

(ii) Marks at least 3 inches high may be displayed on a glider;

(iii) Marks at least 3 inches high may be displayed on an aircraft for which the FAA has issued an experimental certificate under § 21.191 (d), § 21.191 (g), or § 21.191 (i) of this chapter to operate as an exhibition aircraft, an amateur-built aircraft, or a light-sport aircraft when the maximum cruising speed of the aircraft does not exceed 180 knots CAS; and

(iv) Marks may be displayed on an exhibition, antique, or other aircraft in accordance with § 45.22.

N65440 was built in 1978.
 
G-Man describes renting and flying this exact plane. It has 125 HP, and the track shows it as high as 13,1000 feet earlier in the flight. It is certainly capable of crossing the pass.

For unknown reasons, it gradually descended to 8,600 at the time of the reversal, near Loveland pass, per murphy. Why he did not remain at the higher altitude until across the pass, who knows. Thermals may have been beating him up, and challenging the stability of his 152 in the thin air. At near the service ceiling, planes are shaky, so descending some is wise, but that many feet may have been inattention.

Succeeding in the reversal at that high altitude was more luck than skill. I have done many such reversals at high altitude in a Cessna 172, practicing for a trip to Colorado, and it is quite different than at 4,000 feet.

As far as buying lottery tickets, this guy has used up all his luck for at least this year. I hope he kissed the ground at the airport after he landed, it was the happiest contact he had with the ground, for possibly, a lifetime.
 
Meh. Doug Masters did this same maneuver on devil's face years ago. Similar plane similar location. It can be a dicey maneuver. That's where Jimmy Branson bought it.

But this is devil's thumb not devil's face so the maneuver is reversed slightly from how Doug did it. But it's not a big deal if you are careful. Full flaps recommended.
 
geezer said:
...For unknown reasons, it gradually descended to 8,600 at the time of the reversal, near Loveland pass, per murphy....
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If this was on the lee side of the pass, maybe there was a downdraft.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
Meh. Doug Masters did this same maneuver on devil's face years ago. Similar plane similar location. It can be a dicey maneuver. That's where Jimmy Branson bought it.

But this is devil's thumb not devil's face so the maneuver is reversed slightly from how Doug did it. But it's not a big deal if you are careful. Full flaps recommended.
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But he also had his flaps down while he was racing to the finish line. :)
 
Okay so it's real and all the youtuber's on blancolirio's channel want the guy hauled in and strung up. What do you think? He was alone, by himself, he lived through it and obviously wanted to get to Rifle for some reason (at that age my guess is a girl) So did he violate our rules and cause harm to society?
 
Silvaire said:
Okay so it's real and all the youtuber's on blancolirio's channel want the guy hauled in and strung up. What do you think? He was alone, by himself, he lived through it and obviously wanted to get to Rifle for some reason (at that age my guess is a girl) So did he violate our rules and cause harm to society?
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Since it was a rental plane, I guess he could be accused of endangering "the property of another," but I assume that an investigation of the facts leading up to the incident would be necessary in order to determine whether there was any carelessness or recklessness involved.
 
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