[hewilson]

Thanks for the reply Ernie. Though I understand your hesitation to don the mantle of "expert", having read your essays on both fuel management and ditching, I thought this case seemed right up your alley so to speak.

As a pathologist, who like you, is not an "expert" - in forensics that is, I am a surgical pathologist - I have some experience in forensics nonetheless. In my early years in practice I supplemented my income by moonlighting as the backup for the local county coroner's pathologist when he was out of town or otherwise indisposed. This entailed obtaining some specific forensics education as well. (And also resulted in me testifying in a murder trial sixteen years after the fact!)

Given that experience, I too was a bit confounded by conflicting elements in the survivor's testimony and the NTSB summary. If the aircraft did not glide well as reported, it is likely the pilot did not follow the old adage of "aviate, navigate, communicate" and subsequently "crashed" rather than "ditched." The survivor describes what sounds to be a violent impact and that would corroborate a story of relative inattention on the pilot's part with a subsequent crash.

Yet both occupants survived impact and exited the aircraft. And while one died, the other suffered only "minor injuries." This sounds more like a controlled ditch and calls into question the accuracy of the survivor's observations. One has to wonder if the pilot suffered life threatening injuries on impact but was young, strong and agile enough to exit the plane despite his injuries or if he was relatively unscathed but was perhaps a poor swimmer. Though the prevailing water temps in the San Juan Straits are potentially lethal, one would imagine that with the sophistication of the EMS and Coast Guard in that region that hypothermia alone should not have been the cause of death.

It seems there is much more to be known about this one. From my background and experience, I suspect the survivor is relatively inexperienced in aviation. If so, it is likely he did not pay sufficient attention to or understand the pre-flight inspection enough to even offer an opinion as to whether the fuel sumps had been adequately drained. I suspect there was a fuel water issue and that the pilot actually ditched rather than crashed. Both occupants likely suffered survivable injuries but that floatation devices were unavailable and the pilot's injuries inhibited his swimming capabilitties.

Of course all the above is speculation and despite the sadness at the loss of the pilot I find this crash to be a huge potential learning opportunity.

My condolences to the pilot's family should they read this.