Narrative:

Overheard on unicom frequency report of a mayday, a C-150, with 2 on board, from a local FBO. Had an engine stoppage and was making a forced landing in mountainous territory. I assisted in the search in a friend's PA28. We made radio contact and then visual contact. The cessna had made a successful landing in a cleared area with no damage to the plane or its occupants. We made contact on a unicom frequency. Because of a high volume of traffic on that frequency, I suggested that we change to 121.5, the distress frequency. While arranging with the plane's occupants for their evacuate/evacuation, I was interrupted and questioned by the rbb FSS as to my use of 121.5. After my explanation, they signed off. I believe this to have been a proper use of the emergency frequency. The reason for the engine stoppage was that the passenger (who had never been in a small plane before) inadvertently turned off the fuel valve while attempting to adjust the seat. The plane was flown out the next day. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated there has been no follow-up from the FAA. His statement regarding usage of the frequency seemed to satisfy the FSS personnel. It was a lucky stroke to find the aircraft since most searchers were looking in another canyon area. This spot was about 20 mi west of that area. It was excellent pilotage according to reporter as the landing site was the only area where there was cleared ground in the entire area. The passenger was apparently just feeling around for the handle to move the seat and got the fuel lever instead.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 ON SEARCH AND RESCUE USES 121 PT 5 TO COMMUNICATE WITH DOWNED ACFT. FSS QUESTIONS USE OF FREQ.

Narrative: OVERHEARD ON UNICOM FREQ RPT OF A MAYDAY, A C-150, WITH 2 ON BOARD, FROM A LCL FBO. HAD AN ENG STOPPAGE AND WAS MAKING A FORCED LNDG IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRITORY. I ASSISTED IN THE SEARCH IN A FRIEND'S PA28. WE MADE RADIO CONTACT AND THEN VISUAL CONTACT. THE CESSNA HAD MADE A SUCCESSFUL LNDG IN A CLRED AREA WITH NO DAMAGE TO THE PLANE OR ITS OCCUPANTS. WE MADE CONTACT ON A UNICOM FREQ. BECAUSE OF A HIGH VOLUME OF TFC ON THAT FREQ, I SUGGESTED THAT WE CHANGE TO 121.5, THE DISTRESS FREQ. WHILE ARRANGING WITH THE PLANE'S OCCUPANTS FOR THEIR EVAC, I WAS INTERRUPTED AND QUESTIONED BY THE RBB FSS AS TO MY USE OF 121.5. AFTER MY EXPLANATION, THEY SIGNED OFF. I BELIEVE THIS TO HAVE BEEN A PROPER USE OF THE EMER FREQ. THE REASON FOR THE ENG STOPPAGE WAS THAT THE PAX (WHO HAD NEVER BEEN IN A SMALL PLANE BEFORE) INADVERTENTLY TURNED OFF THE FUEL VALVE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ADJUST THE SEAT. THE PLANE WAS FLOWN OUT THE NEXT DAY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THERE HAS BEEN NO FOLLOW-UP FROM THE FAA. HIS STATEMENT REGARDING USAGE OF THE FREQ SEEMED TO SATISFY THE FSS PERSONNEL. IT WAS A LUCKY STROKE TO FIND THE ACFT SINCE MOST SEARCHERS WERE LOOKING IN ANOTHER CANYON AREA. THIS SPOT WAS ABOUT 20 MI W OF THAT AREA. IT WAS EXCELLENT PILOTAGE ACCORDING TO RPTR AS THE LNDG SITE WAS THE ONLY AREA WHERE THERE WAS CLRED GND IN THE ENTIRE AREA. THE PAX WAS APPARENTLY JUST FEELING AROUND FOR THE HANDLE TO MOVE THE SEAT AND GOT THE FUEL LEVER INSTEAD.

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.