KMUD Board Member Killed in plane crash


KMUD News is extremely saddened to report the death of one of KMUD’s most well-loved, long term family members.
Berk Snow, an experienced pilot, died as a result of a plane crash in the rugged mountains of western Idaho on Thursday June 14th . His wife Suzanne Biers was also in the plane but, miraculously, survived.
Details are still sketchy, but we can tell you that according to family members and friends, Berk and Suzanne had flown out to Idaho Wednesday in his Cessna 172 aircraft. They were bound for a back country fly-in at Johnson Creek Airstrip about 75 miles across the Oregon state line in Valley County Idaho.
On Thursday morning Berk and Suzanne set out at about 9:30 AM, bound for a sight-seeing tour and to check out other wilderness airports but did not return to Johnson Creek as planned.
On Friday John Pfaff, family friend, flew out from Mendocino County for a planned rendezvous with Berk and Suzanne at the Johnson Creek Fly-in but when he didn’t find them he just thought they were out flying.
By Saturday morning when there was still no sign of their plane he became worried and after searching in the vicinity of the airstrip which also features back-country camping, he found their campsite and knew then that they had not planned on being gone that long. At that point, the Valley County Sheriff’s Department was notified. The Valley County Search and Rescue team was activated and initiated a ground search. FAACivil Air Patrol. John and other pilots from the fly-in also joined the search of the surrounding mountains focusing especially on remote airstrips, believing that Berk and Suzanne had perhaps had to make an emergency landing and were just waiting it out. But despite searching all day, no sign of the small Cessna was found.
On Sunday a full scale search was launched with 5 airplanes and one helicopter. Two of the planes picked up a weak emergency transponder signal and it was that signal that finally led searchers to a steep and narrow canyon about 71/2 miles north and west of the Johnson Airstrip near Crater Peak. At 3:40 PM (2:40 PT) rescuers spotted the plane and were able to determine that Suzanne, at least, was alive. Berk, unfortunately, had not survived. According to the Valley County Sheriff’s Department Lifeflight was able to land north of the crash scene and airlift Suzanne to nearby McCall Hospital. Efforts by the Valley county deputies to reach the scene by land were unsuccessful and recovery efforts continue today, Monday.


Throughout the day, Saturday and Sunday, family and friends had waited anxiously for news and over the intervening hours had developed an information tree that shared every scrap of news as it became available. Among those who joined the vigil were Will and Kat Emerson, close neighbors and part of Berk and Suzanne’s California family. After the rescue, Suzanne was able to talk with her sister who in turn relayed her story to the Emersons. She relayed that trouble began for Berk when, after leaving Johnson Creek Thursday morning he took a wrong drainage in the rugged mountains and the couple found themselves in a step narrow box canyon. Because of the high altitude flying conditions the atmosphere was turbulent and Berk’s relatively small plane, a 1958 Cessna 172 Skylane, did not have enough power to climb out. The canyon was too steep and narrow for him to try an emergency landing and his only other option, to turn around and exit the same way he had come in was also impossible, given conditions and the plane’s low power. As Berk attempted to maneuver out of the canyon the plane stalled and crashed.
Berk received head and chest injuries on impact and never regained consciousness. Suzanne escaped with moderate injuries to her back and was able to survive the following 4 days and 3 nights in the wilderness, before they were spotted by rescuers.
Berk loved to fly and shared his love of flying generously. Local attorney, Mark Harris, a fellow pilot told KMUD News that Berk was a favorite figure at Burning Man where he was known for spending much of the festival taking people up on free flights of he area. He also donated numerous hours of flying time to various environmental causes on the North Coast and beyond.
In a strange twist of fate, Mark noted that Berk who also loved posting on Pilot blogs and had posted his concerns about flying in canyons just a week before his own fatal accident. On June 6th he wrote in response to a similar accident in which the pilot survived; “I'm always very leary (sic) about flying *up* canyon, particularly when low & slow, and it's too narrow to do a turn to lowering terrain, comfortably.
There may be some times when this may be necessary - the question then becomes - when would these choices be appropriate, and when not? Thanks for everyone's input.“
Mark also noted that this accident was a “Classic” mountain flying scenario and happens all too often. He noted that Berk was a very careful, conscientious and experienced pilot, always anxious to improve his skill and in the final analysis, he died doing what he loved best.
Berk was also a mainstay of the KMUD family. He was a programmer on “Wild River Radio“ (10:30AM – 1:00PM Sunday) and he was a member of our Board of Directors, serving for many years as treasurer.
He will be missed by many.

Last Updated ( Monday, 18 June 2007 )