Todd Simmons, the president of customer experience at Cirrus Aircraft, was injured in an accident on Thursday at Dewey Moore Airstrip in Idaho.
According to a statement provided by Cirrus senior vice president of sales and marketing Ben Kowalski, Simmons was flying his Piper Super Cub solo at the time of the accident. AVweb.com reported that some individuals who were aware of the crash described that Simmons aircraft crashed during a go-around. He was later airlifted from the strip.
“Todd is currently recovering at a hospital in Idaho. We are in close contact and supporting Todd and his family throughout this process; our thoughts and prayers are with them at this time,” Kowalski said in the statement.
Mountain Flying LLC describes Dewey Moore Airstrip as having a 700-foot-long gravel runway at an elevation of 4,494 feet, located “19-miles west of the junction of Big Creek and the Middle Fork of the Salmon River.” The strip should be flown in and out of by “highly experienced mountain pilots only,” and that the runway may also have deteriorated.
A disclaimer on the Mountain Flying LLC site warns, “DO NOT attempt to land at Dewey Moore until you have received instruction on the proper approach and short-field landings. The airstrip is suitable for Super Cub-type performing aircraft. Although much information may be presented, it is not sufficient to cover all the hazards associated with these backcountry airstrips.” It's unknown whether Simmons had completed this instruction.
Mountain Flying LLC provides pictures on its website about Dewey Moore Airstrip, which illustrate its hidden setting and the challenging terrain that it is surrounded by. Videos of pilots landing at the strip show the difficulty of the approach, which winds through a narrow mountain pass.
