Search crews that have scoured a mountainous region of Sweetwater County for a missing pilot and plane since Tuesday afternoon found the pilot, deceased at the scene of a crash, Wednesday afternoon.
Kelly Melvin, 50, was the lone occupant of the single-prop Piper Comanche that left the Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport at 6:08 a.m. Tuesday and came to an abrupt end at 6:22 near Little Mountain, southwest of Rock Springs.
The plane was found crashed, according to a statement dispatched Wednesday afternoon by Sweetwater County Sheriff’s spokesman Jason Mower.
Didn’t Make It To California
The search started after the sheriff’s office received a missing person report at 1:22 p.m. Tuesday.
Mower confirmed Wednesday during Cowboy State Daily’s Morning Show With Jake that family members had told dispatch Melvin didn’t make it to his destination in California.
The search suspended for about three hours Tuesday evening due to cloud cover and tough conditions and terrain. But the sheriff’s office kept scrambling for an aerial unit that could search in the night.
At about 9:15 p.m., the Utah Air National Guard deployed an Apache helicopter with nighttime search capabilities, and it found a ground disturbance at around 10:30 p.m., says the statement.
Ground crews staged in that area early Wednesday morning.
At about 8 a.m., the Wyoming Civil Air Patrol sent a fixed-wing aircraft to confirm what the Apache crew had found. Later that morning the Wyoming Army National Guard sent a Huey helicopter with emergency medical and hoist capabilities to the scene, Mower wrote.
Found
Searchers in the coordinated ground and air search found the crash site around 2 p.m. Wednesday, says the statement. The sheriff’s office notified federal aviation officials.
“We extend our deepest condolences to Mr. Melvin’s family and friends during this tragedy,” said Sheriff John Grossnickle in the statement, “and we are deeply grateful for the outpouring of community support and dedication of everyone involved in this effort.”
Mower reiterated an earlier reminder for people to avoid the scene and not compromise the investigation. Entering the site could “result in legal consequences,” the spokesman wrote.
The statement refers further inquiries to Sweetwater County Coroner Dale Majhanovich and the National Transportation Safety Board.
Majhanovich told Cowboy State Daily at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday that he believed investigators were on scene and his office had not yet been called to the site.
A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator was on the way to the scene Wednesday and is expected to arrive Thursday, the NTSB told Cowboy State Daily in a Wednesday email.
"Once on site, the investigator will begin the process of documenting the scene and examining the aircraft," says the email. "The aircraft will then be recovered to a secure facility for further evaluation."
NTSB investigations involve three primary areas: the pilot, the aircraft and the operating environment, says the email. As part of this process, investigators will gather the following information and records:
- Flight track data
- Recordings of any air traffic control communications
- Aircraft maintenance records
- Weather forecasts and actual weather and lighting conditions around the time of the accident
- Pilot’s license, ratings and recency of flight experience
- 72-hour background of the pilot to determine if there were any issues that could have affected the pilot’s ability to safety operate the flight
- Witness statements
- Electronic devices that could contain information relevant to the investigation
- Any available surveillance video,
During the on-scene phase of the investigative process, the NTSB does not determine or speculate about the cause of the accident, says the email.
A preliminary report will be available within 30 days; it can be accessed by searching our investigations database with the NTSB number WPR25FA079. It will also be posted on NTSB Newsroom Twitter .
The preliminary report will contain factual information gathered during the initial phase of the investigation. A probable cause of the crash along with any contributing factors will be detailed in the final report, which is expected in 12-24 months.
This story has been updated to include a late-day comment by the NTSB
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
