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Posted: Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Stormy Peaks B-17: Update
On June 27, 2008, a remarkable ascent was made to the Stormy Peaks B-17 crash site. Led by AvAr’s orienteering subject matter expert, Ron Miller, this specialized team consisted of: Dr. Nicole Branton, USFS Archaeologist; Matthew Hensarling, AvAr field agent; Maj. Ivan Pupilidy, USAFR Accident Investigator; Brian Richardson, FAA Safety Program Manager and AvAr Director; and Dale Shuell, FAA Inspector.
The mission of this select team was to evaluate evidence at the site in an effort to either prove/disprove the hypothesis that one engine in particular on 42-6042, was not developing power at the time of the crash. Following a thorough investigation by each member, it was unanimously agreed that the powerplant carcass, suggested as being the number 4 engine, was definitely not producing power at the time of impact.
While this evidence provides mitigating circumstances to causal factors originally contributed and also refutes the official 1943 Army Air Force report, it does not rewrite history.
An official report is being drafted and will be submitted to the USFS by years end. A copy of that report will be posted to this website upon completion
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