Investigation Continues

The wreckage of a Cirrus SR-22, along with the body of its pilot, have been found in the snow covered mountains of California's Sugar Bowl Ski Area. There's still no clear indication how the plane's BRS parachute, which was apparently deployed just before the aircraft impacted the ground, became detached from the aircraft itself.

The pilot was identified as Bill McGrath, a construction company executive from Novato, CA.

Authorities said McGrath was flying alone when he left Reno-Tahoe International Airport at around 1800 local time Sunday night. About 15-minutes later, the FAA said he contacted Oakland Center to say that his wings were icing up and his plane was going down.

The wreckage was first sighted on the slopes of Mount Lincoln by a ski area worker almost eight hours later.

FAA Preliminary Accident Report

IDENTIFICATION
 Regis#: 286CD    Make/Model: SR22   Description: SR-22
 Date: 02/06/2005   Time: 0220

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

LOCATION
 City: NORDEN           State: CA  Country: US

DESCRIPTION
 ACFT REPORTEDLY ENCOUNTERED ICING AND WAS CLIMBING FROM 16000 TO 17000FT,
 AN ALERT NOTICE WAS ISSUED, THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED IN THE SUGAR BOWL SKI
 RESORT AND THE ONE PERSON ON BOARD WAS FATALLY INJURED, NORDEN, CA

INJURY DATA   Total Fatal:  1
         # Crew:  1   Fat:  1   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

 Departed: RENO, NV          Dep Date:  Dep. Time:  
 Destination: OAKLAND, CA       Flt Plan:       Wx Briefing:
 Last Radio Cont:
 Last Clearance:

 FAA FSDO: RENO, NV (WP11)           Entry date: 02/08/2005

FMI: www.ntsb.gov