C172 passenger attempting to scatter human ashes over a cemetery inadvertently drops the bag which f...

Attributes
ACN	629142
Time
Date	200408
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : ubg.vor
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl single value : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 27.8 flight time total : 318 flight time type : 167.1
ASRS Report	629142
Person 2
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was approached by a good friend of mine to do a favor for a friend of his, and take them up to spread a relative's human remains (ashes) over the cemetery. Everyone in the aircraft was instructed, prior to takeoff, on how to hold the bag and ensure that the ashes would pour out without mishaps. The plan was for the passenger (left front seat) to hold the window open while the passenger in the left rear seat spread the ashes over the cemetery. I was plting the aircraft from the right seat because the only opening window is on the left side. We did a simulated pass over the cemetery before the actual spreading of the ashes. On our second and final pass over, the window was opened as planned and the bag was held outside the window as planned. The person in the left rear seat responsible for holding the bag out the window, unexpectedly let go. Surprised that he had just let go, I asked him if the bag ripped open, and he assured me that it had 'partially broke open.' as the pilot, I saw him release the bag, but I did not witness where the bag went or if the ashes did in fact come out of the bag. In the afternoon, 2 days later, it was brought to my attention that the bag had not opened as I was led to believe, and it had gone through the roof of someone's house next to the cemetery.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PAX ATTEMPTING TO SCATTER HUMAN ASHES OVER A CEMETERY INADVERTENTLY DROPS THE BAG WHICH FALLS THROUGH THE ROOF OF A HOUSE ADJACENT TO THE AREA.

Narrative: I WAS APCHED BY A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE TO DO A FAVOR FOR A FRIEND OF HIS, AND TAKE THEM UP TO SPREAD A RELATIVE'S HUMAN REMAINS (ASHES) OVER THE CEMETERY. EVERYONE IN THE ACFT WAS INSTRUCTED, PRIOR TO TKOF, ON HOW TO HOLD THE BAG AND ENSURE THAT THE ASHES WOULD POUR OUT WITHOUT MISHAPS. THE PLAN WAS FOR THE PAX (L FRONT SEAT) TO HOLD THE WINDOW OPEN WHILE THE PAX IN THE L REAR SEAT SPREAD THE ASHES OVER THE CEMETERY. I WAS PLTING THE ACFT FROM THE R SEAT BECAUSE THE ONLY OPENING WINDOW IS ON THE L SIDE. WE DID A SIMULATED PASS OVER THE CEMETERY BEFORE THE ACTUAL SPREADING OF THE ASHES. ON OUR SECOND AND FINAL PASS OVER, THE WINDOW WAS OPENED AS PLANNED AND THE BAG WAS HELD OUTSIDE THE WINDOW AS PLANNED. THE PERSON IN THE L REAR SEAT RESPONSIBLE FOR HOLDING THE BAG OUT THE WINDOW, UNEXPECTEDLY LET GO. SURPRISED THAT HE HAD JUST LET GO, I ASKED HIM IF THE BAG RIPPED OPEN, AND HE ASSURED ME THAT IT HAD 'PARTIALLY BROKE OPEN.' AS THE PLT, I SAW HIM RELEASE THE BAG, BUT I DID NOT WITNESS WHERE THE BAG WENT OR IF THE ASHES DID IN FACT COME OUT OF THE BAG. IN THE AFTERNOON, 2 DAYS LATER, IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTN THAT THE BAG HAD NOT OPENED AS I WAS LED TO BELIEVE, AND IT HAD GONE THROUGH THE ROOF OF SOMEONE'S HOUSE NEXT TO THE CEMETERY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

C172 passenger attempting to scatter human ashes over a cemetery inadvertently drops the bag which falls through the roof of a house adjacent to the area.