| An amazing rescue effort began at about 6 pm on the evening of February 4 here in Graham County. Emergency Services received a 911 call from a man who had just crashed his plane the rugged mountains near Robbinsville. Not only was darkness falling, but snow had been falling most of the afternoon. The pilot advised that he had suffered minor injuries. The map at right shows the first location given rescuers (CRASH1), the improved location given by pilot (CRASH2), and the actual location (CRASH). |
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By some luck the pilot was able to give a general location based on his LORAN. This onboard positioning system normally does not work at low altitudes, much less when a plane is on the ground. Graham County Rescue went into immediate action. It was impossible to fly the Sheriff's Office helicopter in bad weather at night, so efforts concentrated on off-road vehicles to get into the general area located at nearly 5000 feet elevations. |
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The two closest search teams at 10 pm were located at SEARCH1 and SEARCH2 (SEE MAP ABOVE). By using GPS units and computer maps of the area the pilot was rescued at about 10:30 that same night. Miraculously he was able to walk out with rescuers and refused any medical treatment. He stated that the crash was "rather peaceful". This crash might never have been found in this remote location had the pilot not had a cellphone to alert Emergency Services. Many volunteers took part in this rescue, but those who braved the terrain, weather, and darkness certainly deserve the most praise. |
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| The plane is nearly invisible from only a few yards away in the daylight |
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| The tail section caught in the top of a tree and broke away. The plane then turned nose-down and slid to the ground. |
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| The plane is nearly intact. |
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Photos by Carl Cooper, Sheriff Steve Odom, and Terry Slaughter |
click here for Asheville Citizen Times Story
February 8, 2000