1999 Seaplane Pilot Of The Year Lost

The FAA is investigating a seaplane accident Saturday that claimed two lives in Oregon.

55-year-old Scott Forsberg of Gilbert, AZ was reported by family members to be in the area to accrue some additional floatplane flight hours. The other victim was 80-year-old Dave Wiley of Lake Oswego, OR, an accomplished flight instructor and 1999's National Seaplane Pilot of the Year.

Wiley held numerous pilot ratings, was a safety advisor to the FAA, and was noted as a tough designated examiner by hundreds of pilots who'd flown with him on their checkrides.

Witnesses told the AP the two-passenger, single-engine Taylorcraft took off from the Willamette River toward Willamette Falls, rose about 75 feet, wobbled in the air, and then began a steep turn to the left before the left wing separated from the plane.

It's not clear which pilot was at the controls.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 13060        Make/Model: TAYB      Description: BC, BF, BL, ACE, SPORTSMAN, TRAVELLER
  Date: 07/28/2007     Time: 1845

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: WEST LINN   State: OR   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO THE BANK OF THE WILLAMETTE RIVER, THE TWO PERSONS ON
  BOARD WERE FATALLY INJURED, WEST LINN, OR

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   2
                 # Crew:   2     Fat:   2     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: NOT REPORTED

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Unknown      Operation: OTHER

  FAA FSDO: PORTLAND, OR  (NM09)                  Entry date: 07/30/2007

FMI: www.faa.gov