Are there any airplane wrecks along the Pinhoti? (besides the one at mcdill?)

[stevebo]

Just wondering, are there any other airplane wrecks along the Pinhoti, besides the one at Mcdill? 

[Mountain Dog]

I believe so.  It is located just north of the old Duggar fire tower site and on the east side of the old fire tower road.  I had heard rumors about one being there and that it had been removed.  However, I talked to a local/forest ranger that said only parts had been removed and that most of it remained.  He said he personally stood among the wreckage a few year ago.  But he cautioned it would be almost impossible to find easily because of its age and the covering of leaves and such over the years.  I tried once to find it but gave up quickly.  BTW, I think the hike up the fire tower road to the site of the old Duggar fire tower is prettier and more enjoyable than taking the Pinhoti up to the top when heading south.   

[Firedog]

There was one on top of the ridge above little Caney Head where the Odum turns south. This plane crashed in the late 60's. The poor pilot needed about 50' more altitude. He came in and clipped the trees and crashed right on the Odum Trail. The last time I remember seeing any evidence was about 1975. All that was left then was small fragments of metal and wires & cables.

[squidbilly]

I was there this past weekend, but didn't see any trace of wreckage. We started at High Falls on our trip to retrace the old Odum Trail. Just past the Nubbin Junction we left the trail and walked straight over Little Caney Head. We found several old fire rings and traces of the old trailbed.  I think we were on the old trail all the way except for a small section at the north end of Little Caney, and the end/start of course, by the comm towers.

[dogwood]

Last year, we saw the wreckage a little ways from the Pinhoti, just off the trail to McDill Point.  Also, there are more remnants of a plane on the North side of the Pinhoti, opposite the McDill Trail.  It's up in the rocks approx 100 ft or so off the Pinhoti.  Wasn't sure if it was another wreck, or if some active teenagers possibly dragged part of the wreckage up there. 
Back in 1993, i took a group of boys on an overnighter from the Pinhoti/Arch Trailhead to Caney Head and back(the shelter was at Caney head instead of Cheaha Falls, back then).  On our way back, we missed the turnoff for the connector trail to Cave Creek, and decided to bushwack up the ridge(opposite McDill) to find the Cave Creek.  We found an old, faint trail right on top of the crest of the mountain and followed it until it ran into the Pinhoti at the bottom the climb peaks by the Cheaha Wilderness dedication plaque.  I think that was the old Odum(or at least part of it).

[buck]

Not long after this crash a retired biology teacher friend of mine had taken a group of students on a field trip to Duggar Mountain and walked up on the plane crash. She said the company hired to remove the human remains had not done so - if I remember the story correctly the company took the money but provided no service. Needless to say, it was a field trip she and her students will never forget.

[squidbilly]

Dogwood, yes, that's part of the Old Odum Trail. And I think the wreckage is from the same crash.

Stevebo, there have been numerous crashes on or near the Pinhoti and Cheaha over the years. Go to FAA. Gov and you can search for crash info. One plane almost hit the Lodge at Cheaha, crashing into the hillside just below the swimming pool.

Check this out: http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/...=20030416X00524&key=1

[Firedog]

There was another about 1/4 mile north of the Lower shelter at mile 114. This was last year on Christmas day. Here are the coordinates.
33 degrees, 42 minutes north latitude, and 085 degrees 36 minutes west longitude from the FAA report.

We recovered the plane with the FAA and removed all of its parts. All that was left was a few small pieces & a hole in the  ground.

[JC785]

Whats the history of the one on McDill point? When did it happen?

[squidbilly]

Whats the history of the one on McDill point? When did it happen?

I don't know the history. The wreckage has been there as long as I can remember. If you know the approximate year of the crash you could search for details here

[JC785]

I was looking at that site earlier and wondering about the date. That's a neat link.

[buck]

I looked at a picture I have of the plane near McDill and you can still read the first two characters of what I assume is the plane's registration number - they are N6. I used squidbilly's link and searched from 1962 to present but did not see a record that matched in registration and location.

If I remember correctly the internal frame of this particular plane is made of what looks to be a heavy gauge steel re-bar. I know nothing about planes, but wondered when (or if) aluminum framing began to be used. Prior to 1962? This may give a hint of the possible time frame of the crash.

[squidbilly]

McDill Point Wreckage

[stevebo]

Thanks for the great info guys!   Fire dog, thanks for the gps coods---I will be sure to check that out!   Buck, the steel tube frame you see on the Mcdill wreck is the engine mount-------also  if you look at the wings carefully , the plane had push pull tubes instead of control cables.  (Mooney aircraft are the only small airplanes that I know of  that have push pull tubes)  The only thing I know about that wreck is that it was some time in the 1960s, and 2 people died in the crash. I'm an aircraft mechanic (hence the intrest in aircraft wrecks)----------Ive never worked on a Mooney, but I remember them talking about the push pull control tubes when I went to mechanic school.  I am so glad the forest service didnt remove the wreck (the fire road is right there, it would be pretty easy to cart it off)  I think it makes the Pinhoti very unique and interesting to leave things as they were origionally!-------

[jonb]

I believe the tail number of the wreck on McDill Point is N6386Q.  It's the only wreck I could find in that area with a tail number that fits
(http://www.planecrashmap.com/map/al).

The reference to it being a Mooney helped with tracking it down in the NTSB database (http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief.aspx?ev_id=67317&key=0).  NTSB lists it as having crashed "near Ashland" on Dec 26th 1972 with one fatality.

[jbuckner]

I can verify that this is a Mooney aircraft and that it is one of their earlier long body models.  I used to work as a manufacturing engineer for Mooney Airplane Company which is based in Kerrville Texas.  The metal bars that you see where the cabin should be is the remains of the metal roll-cage.  My husband was one of Mooney's lead designing engineers in the mid 2000s, and we were both fascinated by the wreckage.  This was the first crashed Mooney we had every seen besides the hard landings some pilots get when they forget to put down their landing gear.    The evidence of the tree impacts on the wings and fire are amazing.  All Mooney aircraft start with N then the rest of the registration number.   We were hiking the Pinhoti on Saturday when we found the wreckage and spent almost half an hour examining it.  Very fascinating.  

ETA:  Stevebo, you are correct, the aircraft uses push rods in the wings for the flight controls. 

[stevebo]

Thanks for the info!   I work on heavy jets, but have always found the little planes interesting-----------especially the mooney!---------beautiful aircraft, sort of like a souped up sports car!  I too found the tree impact dents interesting---big tree dents on both the leading edge and trailing edge of the wings.  (obviously the aircraft was spinning as it crashed)   Anyway, thanks for the post!