He was westbound, Spokane to Seattle, so he wasn't into the mountains yet.
Nothing has been said about an engine out, but "unable to maintain altitude"
doesn't make sense if both engines were running...and there certainly wasn't
any ice in Eastern Washington that night.

AirPac is a good outfit, great people to work for.

Bob Gardner
"steve" wrote in message
...
Just heard about this on the morning news. Apparently pilot with 4 months
with the company had trouble maintaining altitude and attempted a landing
at the Easton, WA airstrip. It sounds like he came up short and crashed
into some trees, then cartwheeled and burst into flames.

This is tragic, and I have to wonder if he should have gone for the
freeway, which is also nearby. My instructor for BFR grilled me on what
alternative sites are available if it become apparent you aren't going to
make your emergency touch down point.

My deepest condolences to the family and friends of the pilot.

I was planning to fly to Bozeman, MT next weekend for fishing, but this
has my wife saying a definite no-way to my flying out there. She does have
somewhat of a point though. I just got checkout out for my complex rating,
and will have at best, 4 hours of time in type as PIC before going on this
trip.

--
Thanks,

Steve

"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the Earth
with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there
you will always long to return"
- Leonardo Da Vinci