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PHOTOS-Mike Connell, Witness in Bush/Rove Vote Tampering, Dies in Plane Crash (Michael Connell)

6 January 2009, 02:23, by B-727 Guy

First of all, here’s the NTSB’s prelim. report:

< http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20081223X12815&key=1 >

The weather conditions — overcast at 100 feet and a temp of 1 degree celsius — were such that icing could have easily occurred at the altitude indicated for the initial approach phase. Also, the approach was abandoned and therefore the pilot spent quite a bit of time between 1000 and 3200 feet, during which a fatal amount of ice might have accumulated.

The comment about icing occurring on one wing and not the other is incorrect; an aircraft flying into icing with no deicing equipment will have ice collecting on both wings at the same rate regardless whether the a/c is turning or not. (Unless the a/c’s in a helluva full rudder pedal skid or slip.) Also, the Saratoga is single-engine, so there is no airflow over the wings that is provided by the propeller.

I don’t believe that this accident is another neo-con conspiracy. Sadly, it’s probably another relatively low-time pilot making fatal errors in judgement.

May he rest in Peace.

j.