Amazing, but the 6000’ takeoff run and lack of altitude gain should have been a clue that this flight wasn’t going to end well. Lucky for them there was no fire.
As stated in my comments in the squawks section- the 6,000ft takeoff run is not abnormal at all do to high and hot conditions, there was NEVER a downdraft, he flew into rising terrain.
Crashes in the pacific northwest 75% of the time are performance related.
A mountain flying class in McCall would def help this aviatior.
A mountain flying class may not have helped here. The aircraft just did not have the performance to get the job done. Same O same O problem with high, hot and heavy with a pilot who’s trying the impossible. Oh yeah, not everyone in McCall Idaho should be teaching mountain Ops. Trust me!