When Winter Survival Skills and a Little Bit of Luck Overpowered Mountain Wave Turbulence, Severe Icing and a Winter Storm

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On Tuesday morning, December 5, 1978, 22 people were rescued off the side of a high Colorado mountain in the southern regions of the Rocky Mountains. They had survived the frigid night at an altitude above 10,000 feet (over 3,000 meters). This was in the midst of a snowstorm, with temperatures well below freezing and winds howling above 30 miles per hour (that’s nearly 50 kilometers per hour). There was only minimal shelter. Some reports estimated the snow to be 8 feet deep and wind chill temperatures approaching 50 below zero. That they survived the brutal weather conditions is remarkable, but that they had also survived the reason for being stranded on the mountain – a plane crash – is even more remarkable. What follows is the story of that winter survival miracle, and the crash of Rocky Mountain Airways Flight 217.

Fantastic review of aviation incidents

Dave does a great job of keeping experienced pilots and meteorologists interested in his review of incidents (accidents) but has an amazing capacity to bring these complex subjects down to earth for less technical listeners. These “stories” are not full of criticism or negative commentary but rather are interesting and informative to all listeners.