Both the pilot and passenger were uninjured—treated for hypothermia after seven hour rescue.
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See this blog entry by philg analyzing this in more detail with additional discussion regarding the likely sequence of events that led to this situation.
One interesting comment on that entry:
“A D.C. pilot with the same name and age survived at least one crash before. On Aug. 4, 1992, a single-engine plane piloted by Patrick Merkle struck the side of a mountain in Farmington Canyon, Utah, according to an account in the Salt Lake Tribune. Part of the wings and tail section were ripped off as the plane flew through pine trees, the newspaper account said, and the fuselage crashed into the side of the mountain.”
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Miracle no fatalities in plane or on ground (except possible injuries induced by loss of electric power).
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