Fact Checking Nelson's "Doors Of Death" light aircraft near death experience

[Dr Moore]

I found this in the Civil Aeronautics Board Reports. "Second incidence occurred Nov. 11, 1976 involving Piper PA 31 N74985. Pilot experienced rough engine on scheduled flight between Salt Lake City and St. George. 3 passengers on board. Engine was feathered and precautionary landing made at Delta, Utah, per instructions in company manual. Investigation revealed cylinder base studs sheered. As result of occurrence Sky West change maintenance procedures by checking torque studs at each 100 hour inspection. No damage to aircraft. No injuries to crew or passengers." Either the date is wrong in the report (the inauguration really was on Nov. 12) or President Nelson flew in the day before but mentions Nov. 12 because that was the big event. Neither publications nor memories are always perfect. They probably didn't fly this route every single day. Note there were only 3 passengers, so there wasn't high demand, nor were there a lot of other people to confirm the event. Remember President Nelson is 96 and has outlived a lot of people. At a minimum, this lends a lot of credibility to President Nelson's story. Here is the link to the report if anyone would like to verify this plane incident for themselves. https://www.google.com/books/edition/_/ ... dents+1976

This may be a big discovery. But may also do more to damage Nelson’s credibility than assist. What about the farmer’s field? Fire?

[Lem]

I found this in the Civil Aeronautics Board Reports. "Second incidence occurred Nov. 11, 1976 involving Piper PA 31 N74985. Pilot experienced rough engine on scheduled flight between Salt Lake City and St. George. 3 passengers on board. Engine was feathered and precautionary landing made at Delta, Utah, per instructions in company manual. Investigation revealed cylinder base studs sheered. As result of occurrence Sky West change maintenance procedures by checking torque studs at each 100 hour inspection. No damage to aircraft. No injuries to crew or passengers." Either the date is wrong in the report (the inauguration really was on Nov. 12) or President Nelson flew in the day before but mentions Nov. 12 because that was the big event. Neither publications nor memories are always perfect. They probably didn't fly this route every single day. Note there were only 3 passengers, so there wasn't high demand, nor were there a lot of other people to confirm the event. Remember President Nelson is 96 and has outlived a lot of people. At a minimum, this lends a lot of credibility to President Nelson's story. Here is the link to the report if anyone would like to verify this plane incident for themselves. https://www.google.com/books/edition/_/ ... dents+1976

No, it doesn't lend credibility to Nelson's story. Here is one of his versions from the OP:

This story has been told and retold by Nelson over the years.

I remember vividly an experience I had as a passenger in a small two-propeller airplane. One of its engines suddenly burst open and caught on fire. The propeller of the flaming engine was starkly stilled. As we plummeted in a steep spiral dive toward the earth, I expected to die. Some of the passengers screamed in hysterical panic. Miraculously, the precipitous dive extinguished the flames. Then, by starting up the other engine, the pilot was able to stabilize the plane and bring us down safely.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/stu ... h?lang=eng

So if your version is correct, then Nelson exaggerated egregiously, and dishonestly represented the exaggerated version as the truth in multiple speeches.

[DrW]

Shutting down a rough running engine, feathering the prop, and making a precautionary landing at an alternate airport according to company policy in a lightly loaded twin aircraft is hardly worth mentioning unless it made Nelson late for his appointment, which it apparently did not. It is certainly a far cry from death spiral dive in an aircraft engulfed in flames with hysterical female on board and both engines out.

What about the right engine "bursting open" and catching fire, the aircraft engulfed in flames, the left engine failure, the death spiral dive, the miraculous left engine re-start? And as Dr. Moore asked, what about landing the plane in a farmer's field? Compared to what was actually reported, Nelson's story is a lie.

[Gadianton]

Great find ko9s. Thanks for the help and advancing the case.

If this is the event, it may answer a couple questions. How was it that they just "dispatched" another plane and got him to the conference on time so easily? He'd travelled a day ahead so there was plenty of time. The other potential confirmation is the "rough engine" description does seem to match the 2014 story better, and probably the two incidents are one and the same.

Well, seems like this is either it, or it didn't happen. There is no way the plane precautionary* landed at the airport on nov 11, but then on the 12th, the engine burst into flames and it went down in a field without a report.

*fixed

[Dr Moore]

Precautionary landing vs emergency landing?

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

I found this in the Civil Aeronautics Board Reports. "Second incidence occurred Nov. 11, 1976 involving Piper PA 31 N74985. Pilot experienced rough engine on scheduled flight between Salt Lake City and St. George. 3 passengers on board. Engine was feathered and precautionary landing made at Delta, Utah, per instructions in company manual. Investigation revealed cylinder base studs sheered. As result of occurrence Sky West change maintenance procedures by checking torque studs at each 100 hour inspection. No damage to aircraft. No injuries to crew or passengers." Either the date is wrong in the report (the inauguration really was on Nov. 12) or President Nelson flew in the day before but mentions Nov. 12 because that was the big event. Neither publications nor memories are always perfect. They probably didn't fly this route every single day. Note there were only 3 passengers, so there wasn't high demand, nor were there a lot of other people to confirm the event. Remember President Nelson is 96 and has outlived a lot of people. At a minimum, this lends a lot of credibility to President Nelson's story. Here is the link to the report if anyone would like to verify this plane incident for themselves. https://www.google.com/books/edition/_/ ... dents+1976

You linked to a 1,241 page report. What’s the page number or direct link to the incident you described?

eta: Here’s a picture of the plane described above:

https://live.staticflickr.com/7571/2994 ... 5c_c_d.jpg

And another:



- Doc

[IHAQ]

I found this in the Civil Aeronautics Board Reports. "Second incidence occurred Nov. 11, 1976 involving Piper PA 31 N74985. Pilot experienced rough engine on scheduled flight between Salt Lake City and St. George. 3 passengers on board. Engine was feathered and precautionary landing made at Delta, Utah, per instructions in company manual. Investigation revealed cylinder base studs sheered. As result of occurrence Sky West change maintenance procedures by checking torque studs at each 100 hour inspection. No damage to aircraft. No injuries to crew or passengers." Either the date is wrong in the report (the inauguration really was on Nov. 12) or President Nelson flew in the day before but mentions Nov. 12 because that was the big event. Neither publications nor memories are always perfect. They probably didn't fly this route every single day. Note there were only 3 passengers, so there wasn't high demand, nor were there a lot of other people to confirm the event. Remember President Nelson is 96 and has outlived a lot of people. At a minimum, this lends a lot of credibility to President Nelson's story. Here is the link to the report if anyone would like to verify this plane incident for themselves. https://www.google.com/books/edition/_/ ... dents+1976

Great find.

“At a minimum, this lends a lot of credibility to President Nelson's story.” I’d love you to explain how.
No fire spewing flames down the aircraft. No hysterical woman. No death spiral where the flames were extinguished. No loss of pilot control. No emergency landing in a field. No hastily arranged flight to get Nelson to his destination on time. But go right ahead and explain how this great piece of information adds credibility to Nelsons' "remembered vividly" Doors Of Death tale…

[IHAQ]

You linked to a 1,241 page report. What’s the page number or direct link to the incident you described?

Page 1,090

[Gabriel]

I found this in the Civil Aeronautics Board Reports. "Second incidence occurred Nov. 11, 1976 involving Piper PA 31 N74985. Pilot experienced rough engine on scheduled flight between Salt Lake City and St. George. 3 passengers on board. Engine was feathered and precautionary landing made at Delta, Utah, per instructions in company manual. Investigation revealed cylinder base studs sheered. As result of occurrence Sky West change maintenance procedures by checking torque studs at each 100 hour inspection. No damage to aircraft. No injuries to crew or passengers." Either the date is wrong in the report (the inauguration really was on Nov. 12) or President Nelson flew in the day before but mentions Nov. 12 because that was the big event. Neither publications nor memories are always perfect. They probably didn't fly this route every single day. Note there were only 3 passengers, so there wasn't high demand, nor were there a lot of other people to confirm the event. Remember President Nelson is 96 and has outlived a lot of people. At a minimum, this lends a lot of credibility to President Nelson's story. Here is the link to the report if anyone would like to verify this plane incident for themselves. https://www.google.com/books/edition/_/ ... dents+1976

Strange, there is a "K O9s" who is posting this CAB report in the comments section of Douglas Stilgoe's latest Nemo the Mormon video (where Nemo just happens to be questioning this very topic). "K O9s" is suggesting that Nemo remove his video from YouTube in the interest of "truth".

I wonder if this is the same "Ko9s" as the one posting here....

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

You linked to a 1,241 page report. What’s the page number or direct link to the incident you described?

Page 1,090

Thanks!

Just a reminder this reproduction had six passengers and all the other details folks have mentioned here:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EMwKxmTLaCs

Alright, ko9s, come clean. Who are you and explain why this report lends credibility to Russell M. Nelson’s tall tale.

- Doc