• After witnessing the continued decrease of involvement in the SpotterNetwork staff in serving SN members with troubleshooting issues recently, I have unilaterally decided to terminate the relationship between SpotterNetwork's support and Stormtrack. I have witnessed multiple users unable to receive support weeks after initiating help threads on the forum. I find this lack of response from SpotterNetwork officials disappointing and a failure to hold up their end of the agreement that was made years ago, before I took over management of this site. In my opinion, having Stormtrack users sit and wait for so long to receive help on SpotterNetwork issues on the Stormtrack forums reflects poorly not only on SpotterNetwork, but on Stormtrack and (by association) me as well. Since the issue has not been satisfactorily addressed, I no longer wish for the Stormtrack forum to be associated with SpotterNetwork.

    I apologize to those who continue to have issues with the service and continue to see their issues left unaddressed. Please understand that the connection between ST and SN was put in place long before I had any say over it. But now that I am the "captain of this ship," it is within my right (nay, duty) to make adjustments as I see necessary. Ending this relationship is such an adjustment.

    For those who continue to need help, I recommend navigating a web browswer to SpotterNetwork's About page, and seeking the individuals listed on that page for all further inquiries about SpotterNetwork.

    From this moment forward, the SpotterNetwork sub-forum has been hidden/deleted and there will be no assurance that any SpotterNetwork issues brought up in any of Stormtrack's other sub-forums will be addressed. Do not rely on Stormtrack for help with SpotterNetwork issues.

    Sincerely, Jeff D.

07/31/08 DISC: MN, IA, WI, IL

Bart_Comstock

Bart_Comstock

EF5
Joined
May 4, 2005
Messages
1,138
Location
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
It appears a plane has been downed in the derecho, resulting in 8 deaths.

F.A.A. Spokesperson said:
A small plane crashed shortly after 9:30 this morning at Owatonna Degner Regional Airport in southern Minnesota while trying to land, killing at least seven and possibly nine people.
Click to expand...

The small plane was a Raytheon Hawker 800 owned by charter firm East Coast Jets Inc. and had flown in from Atlantic City, NJ to Owatonna, MN. According to one eyewitness who watching the plane make its final approach and is a retired pilot, "the plane making its final approach, and it appeared nothing was wrong. We'd just had a lot of wind, but it had calmed down a bit."

http://www.startribune.com/local/26140404.html?location_refer=Homepage:highlightModules:1
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN3133548120080731
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN3133548120080731
 
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From what I read, the storm was long gone and the derecho was most likely not a factor.

Ayers, 59, said the early morning storm was no longer a factor at the time of the crash. "The wind wasn't blowing; the storm was gone
Click to expand...
 
Winds were pretty light at the time, storm had moved on about an hour earlier.

NOUS53 KMPX 311757
OAVMPX

FORENSIC SERVICES MANAGER (W/OM113)
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
C/O NOAA MESSAGE CENTER
SUITLAND, MARYLAND 20910

INFO: CENTRAL REGION HEADQUARTERS
W/CR1X3

ALPHA CALL SIGN IN AIR: ECJ81 TAIL NUMBER: N818MV??
AIRCRAFT TYPE: H250 BRAVO

BRAVO OWATONNA, MINNESOTA NEAR AIRPORT (OWA) AT APPROXIMATELY
1500Z (10 AM CDT) THURSDAY JULY 31, 2008.

CHARLIE CRASHED ON APPROACH, 10 ABOARD, 6 FATALITIES CONFIRMED (POSSIBLY MORE).

DELTA METAR KOWA 311515Z AUTO 22012KT 10SM VCTSRA SCT021 BKN037 BKN050 18/17
A2986 RMK AO2 P0002 LTG DSNT E THRU SW

METAR KOWA 311455Z AUTO 17006KT 10SM RA SCT018 SCT029 BKN037 19/17 A2983
RMK AO2 P0009 LTG DSNT E THRU S



ECHO KRST 311341Z 311412 30012KT 4SM -SHRA SCT005 BKN025CB
TEMPO 1415 32035G50KT 3/4SM +TSRA BR SCT001 OVC010CB
FM1700 12012KT P6SM VCSH BKN030CB
FM2100 22008KT P6SM BKN040
FM0000 26008KT P6SM VCTS BKN035CB
FM0300 33006KT P6SM SCT250
TEMPO 0812 4SM BR
 
I wonder how much water was on the runway at the time and if it could have possibly hydroplaned or if enough was present that the plane's minimum stopping conditions exceeded the length of the strip as a result of the conditions.
 
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