BREAKING - Plane crashes into Round Valley (E. AZ) High School and explodes

White Mountain (AZ) Independent ^ | June 11, 2010 | Karen Warnick

[El Gato]

Updated 11:30 last night - still no info on 2 on board.

Now it's 4 on board. They found two more bodies.

Still, since witnesses say the plane took off from the local, Springerville, airport, you'd think there would be a record there of at least the registration number, if not the name of whomever bought a load of av-gas. Of course witnesses have been known to be wrong. Perhaps it came from the direction of the airport, and the witnesses surmised it had taken off from there? The airport is about a mile northwest of the school. And the school is pretty well off to the side from the approach/departure path for runway 11/29. But the pilot could have been making a left turn, either to try to return to the field, or just heading wherever he planned to go.

Still wonder about the lack of flight plan.

[El Gato]

As of late last night, they still had not pulled the bodies from the aircraft. They know the exact model of aircraft though. They say around 12:30 (local and PDT, 13:30 MDT, 14:30 CDT, 15:30 EDT) the NTSB will be heard from. Possible ID of pilot and passengers by the.

Classroom portion of building appears to be a total loss. School board has met to formulate intial plans about where the kids will have classes in the fall, school starts mid August. They may put them in the dome, other non-acadmenic classrooms (gym etc). I think they should look into getting a steel building. With a push, they could have it erected by mid august. Or they could get those FEMA trailers, which make decent classrooms.

http://www.kpho.com/video/23883860/index.html

[txhurl]

From the kpho.com link above:

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Guinn said the plane circled the area two or three times before crashing into the main building at Round Valley High School in Eagar, Ariz., at about 2 p.m. on Friday. Two hours later, flames were still erupting 20 to 30 feet above the roof of the two-story school.

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Two hours later, flames were still erupting? Full tank of gas and they thought it safer to let it burn out on school grounds than put it out?

[El Gato]

Two hours later, flames were still erupting? Full tank of gas and they thought it safer to let it burn out on school grounds than put it out?

If you saw the photos and/or videos, it was a real pisser. They had several ladder trucks and several more "hand held" lines pouring water on the fire.

It's a small town with a volunteer department, they had to be assisted by the county. I imagine by the time county got there it was pretty fully involved. They seem to have confined the damage to the classroom portion of the building. (Possibly except smoke damage). Besides Avgas is really hard to put out, once it gets going. Remember the thing was on/in the roof. Bottom line, I don't think they had much choice but to try and keep it confined, which they did.

[El Gato]

Victims now ID’d. From:

http://www.kpho.com/news/23875425/detail.html

EAGAR, Ariz. — Authorities said four members of a Florida family were on board the plane that crashed into an eastern Arizona high school, killing all of them.

Apache County sheriff’s Sgt. Richard Guinn identified the victims as Jeffrey, Ronna, Alexa and Carlie Ulrich. Federal records show the 1976 single-engine Piper was registered to Jeffrey Ulrich of Wesley Chapel, Fla. Guinn said the family was headed to the Grand Canyon.

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It was high, hot and windy. Not good conditions for a pilot used to flying in Florida, which is low, rarely as hot, and usually, when there’s no hurricane about, not as windy.

[txhurl]

RIP.

Thanks for the update.

[skeeter69]

Maybe they should make the drivers test as comprehensive as the test for pilots. It would sure solve the traffic problems. Imagine, driving I-10 at AM with only 50 other cars on the road.

[skeeter69]

“The pilot freaked” The normal procedure for a missed approach or go-around is to apply full throttle and gain altitude. Non-aviators are so ignorant. when the light turns red, do you FREAK and step on the brake or just step on the brake?

[skeeter69]

There’s a Notam that rwy 3/21 is closed it’s 8,400’ rwy 11/29 is only 4,600’. Elevation is 7,000’ DA was probably at least 10k. Wind was from 200. Even with 300hp, that’s tough, especially with rising terrain everywhere but N.
I’ve been to D68 from FFZ a number of times but always mornings and rwy 21.
Round Valley HS is about a mile off the departure end of 11, just south of the extended centerline.

[skeeter69]

“The pilot freaked” The normal procedure for a missed approach or go-around is to apply full throttle and gain altitude. Non-aviators are so ignorant. when the light turns red, do you FREAK and step on the brake or just step on the brake?

[skeeter69]

Maybe they should make the drivers test as comprehensive as the test for pilots. It would sure solve the traffic problems. Imagine, driving I-10 at AM with only 50 other cars on the road.

[Danae]

You didn’t see the wings darned near gyrating like I did.

[Squantos]

Full load of fuel an 4 souls .....I still am thinking density altitude got em. Time an temp ?

Just my SWAG from here on the couch.