Understanding Mark’s Flying Habits

Misconceptions about the crash:
There are some discrepancies as to what happened when Mark and Brian were on Lake Nahwatzel moments before the crash. Some witnesses stated they were inspecting the airplane before takeoff. Some say they made several attempts at taking off. Some have said that the motor was unusually loud, and one even said they were looking at the engine.

More information & facts about the crash:
Mark Storer, the pilot, always follows proper protocol when performing a water take off. When there is no wind, it is common procedure to run the plane up and down the lake to create a wake and allow the pontoons to lift out of the water more easily. Mark also performs a 360 degree circle before takeoff, so that he gets a visual of all boats and swimmers in the water for safety reasons. If there is any wind, every pilot knows it is most beneficial to position the plane so that it takes off into the wind. I have flown with Mark in his Cessna 185 many times and he always runs through his preflight checklist item by item before his assent. This particular motor has about 400 horse power and is louder than most Cessna engines. We have been given official word by the NTSB that the prop was not turning at the time of the crash, so it is possible that without warning or signs of a problem, the motor stalled or the prop failed shortly after takeoff. The coroner ruled the crash an accident and stated that Mark and Brian were killed on impact, not as a result of the fire which burned hot and fast because of the aviation fuel which is located in the wings.

We also know that Mark and Brian traveled to Lake Nahwatzel for fun. Mark likes to take his family on short trips around the Puget Sound area. He leaves from his hanger at Auburn, lands on a lake, picks a nice spot to sit and have lunch, turns off the motor, and we usually sit on the pontoons and talk until we decide to leave. Mark has a crossover wire toward the front of the plane so that we can walk back and forth between the pontoons. I always grab the prop when I am crossing over as to avoid falling in the lake, and it could easily appear to onlookers as though I am looking at the engine, when I am not actually doing so. Everything Mark and Brian did before the crash was normal and there was never any indication of a problem with the aircraft.