Search-and-rescue efforts for forestry pilot continues (merged)

[hoghappy]

Jake Harrell. He and his wife are close friends of my daughter. Please pray they can find him alive and well. He's assumed missing in the Mt. Ida area.

[gotyacovered]

Have you guys been following this?

Search-and-rescue efforts for forestry pilot continues
http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2014/feb/02/search-and-rescue-efforts-forestry-pilot-continues/

[Pulled(PP)pork]

two of my hs friends are with the forestry and g/f commission....saw this on their fb accounts.  hope they find him one way or the other.


PP

[gotyacovered]

The plane he was flying was hangar in the community hangar at hope summer before last (assuming the only have one 210). Anyways I am out there a bunch and met a few of the pilots and am friends with one, but never met Jake. I am talking to my friend. Bad deal.

I am going to merge the thread I just started with this one...

[gotyacovered]

Got a lot of info today, not sure how factual, but... I want to add to my post above. This WAS NOT the same 210 in hangar at my home base. The one I spoke of was sold shortly after it left here with over 14k hours, Supposedly this one had as many hours...

There was a lot of talk at the hangar today and it's just a terrible ordeal. My prayers are with his family and to his friends I know.

I fly to nearly every Razorback game and it is through this area, very sobering. I do not have a survival kit in my plane, stupid. If he survived, that was only half the battle at this point.

[pigture perfect]

Do us and yourself a favor Gotya, Getya a survival kit in your plane.

[cosmodrum]

Jake Harrell. He and his wife are close friends of my daughter. Please pray they can find him alive and well. He's assumed missing in the Mt. Ida area.

I went to school with him. He was a year younger than me. Really awful.

[gotyacovered]

Do us and yourself a favor Gotya, Getya a survival kit in your plane.

already started shopping. my dad keeps one in his and i am going to copy him... he actually even has a 45 and a box of ammo.

[GusMcRae]

I don't have a survival kit in the plane either.  I guess if I had frequent flights over long stretches of wilderness areas or national forrests, I probably would. 

However, one thing I do try to do is dress appropriately.  I know we've talked about this on here before, but I typically don't wear shorts, even in the heat of the summer, and I don't wear flip flops.  I typically wear work boots or cowboy boots when I fly.  If it's winter time, I don't go without a good jacket and there's usually gloves in the pockets of the jacket.  CFI touched on this while I was training.  Even if you get stuck at the end of the runway with a flat tire,,, are you appropriately dressed to make a hike back to the terminal without a lot of discomfort? 

What I have on my feet and legs in flight needs to at least offer some protection from a fire in the cockpit until I can get us on the ground.  Polyester wind pants or shorts and sandels would not be good.  I advise my passengers against such attire as well.   

[gotyacovered]

I don't have a survival kit in the plane either.  I guess if I had frequent flights over long stretches of wilderness areas or national forrests, I probably would. 

However, one thing I do try to do is dress appropriately.  I know we've talked about this on here before, but I typically don't wear shorts, even in the heat of the summer, and I don't wear flip flops.  I typically wear work boots or cowboy boots when I fly.  If it's winter time, I don't go without a good jacket and there's usually gloves in the pockets of the jacket.  CFI touched on this while I was training.  Even if you get stuck at the end of the runway with a flat tire,,, are you appropriately dressed to make a hike back to the terminal without a lot of discomfort? 

What I have on my feet and legs in flight needs to at least offer some protection from a fire in the cockpit until I can get us on the ground.  Polyester wind pants or shorts and sandels would not be good.  I advise my passengers against such attire as well.   

agree on all points but want to point out.... this pilot was on a local flight. while he was searching a grid and covering alot of ground, but he actually wasnt going anywhere. they regularly fuel in Hot Springs (35nm away from Oden).

to put this in perspective i created a central way point at the city of Oden and entered the surrounding 6 closest airports. i chose Oden bc the reports i have read indicate he was around Oden by there estimations. Oden is only 56nm from my home base... so gus here is my deal, i also put the M18 - KFYV direct flight and you can see (at least 10 times a year) i fly over this area and i am only going 1 hour/139nm.

if jake survived the off airport landing or impact, with a combination of terrain and weather they still have not found him. at this point, its possible he survived the crash and at some point over the last 6 days he succumbed to injury or froze to death.

praying for the best.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[GusMcRae]

agree on all points but want to point out.... this pilot was on a local flight. while he was searching a grid and covering alot of ground, but he actually wasnt going anywhere. they regularly fuel in Hot Springs (35nm away from Oden).

to put this in perspective i created a central way point at the city of Oden and entered the surrounding 6 closest airports. i chose Oden bc the reports i have read indicate he was around Oden by there estimations. Oden is only 56nm from my home base... so gus here is my deal, i also put the M18 - KFYV direct flight and you can see (at least 10 times a year) i fly over this area and i am only going 1 hour/139nm.

if jake survived the off airport landing or impact, with a combination of terrain and weather they still have not found him. at this point, its possible he survived the crash and at some point over the last 6 days he succumbed to injury or froze to death.

praying for the best.

I hear ya.
Looks like the plane would have turned up by now. 
Maybe landed in a lake? 
Surprised no one witnessed it going down. 
T & P for the family.

[gotyacovered]

I noticed a TFR in the area of the possible crash site today... Surface to 4000ft. Wonder if it's related

[cosmodrum]

Can't believe they haven't found anything yet.

[gotyacovered]

i have since spoken to my forestry friend, the TFR was realted, but it wasnt b/c they found anything.

sad and devastating.

[hoghappy]

I'm a friend of the family, and we don't talk of it, but I'm asking you as pilots, Is this a recovery project at this point? Surely it's not still a rescue operation. Also, wouldn't his plane have a signaling device on it in case of crash landings?

[Pulled(PP)pork]

I'm a friend of the family, and we don't talk of it, but I'm asking you as pilots, Is this a recovery project at this point? Surely it's not still a rescue operation. Also, wouldn't his plane have a signaling device on it in case of crash landings?

I'm not a pilot, but am an Emergency Room RN, and you would have to think it's a recovery issue at this point.  The temps have been too extreme for anyone to survive, even if they were able to walk significant distances.  I would think that the only way to survive is he found someones deer camp cabin and is too weak to try and find a way to contact anyone.


PP

[gotyacovered]

I'm a friend of the family, and we don't talk of it, but I'm asking you as pilots, Is this a recovery project at this point? Surely it's not still a rescue operation. Also, wouldn't his plane have a signaling device on it in case of crash landings?

yes, i would think so. 

there is a chance he is still alive, but if you factor in the temps/wx the rate of survivability get real low. a human beings will to live is amazing, i never count against it.

to give you an idea of what search and rescue are up against.... he was in a Cessna 210, assuming 120 kts (which is slow for a 210) that gives them a 30 miles search area and that is assuming they knew exactly where he was at previous check in, and where he was going.

as i have said. i am friends with one of his fellow pilots and this has been very hard and frustrating on them.

it should have had a ELT (distress beacon) that is triggered to go off automatically if 4 g's negative or positive are achieved. it can also be manually switched on. there are two types, most likely he had a 121.5 ELT and there is no geo detection capability and its accuracy is estimated to be 12-15nm. it transmits a signal on the 121.5mhz frequency. they have a new one that transmits on 406mhz and its much more accurate; its estimated accuracy is 1-3nm.

there is no guaranty the ELT was operable. if not it should have been caught on a pre-flight, it is an item that can frequently be over looked. it also could have been destroyed on impact.

this is devastating and i have been praying for the friends and family since the day it happened. for those few moments i thought it could be my friend, it was pure misery. for it to get to this point i really feel for you and yours.

[cosmodrum]

Just can't imagine the horror his wife and kids are experiencing, and of course his sister (was in band with her) and parents.

[gotyacovered]

Just can't imagine the horror his wife and kids are experiencing, and of course his sister (was in band with her) and parents.

i cannot either. closure is going to be tough without recovery.

[cosmodrum]

i cannot either. closure is going to be tough without recovery.

No kidding. I would be unable to function at this point.

[gotyacovered]

plane has been spotted... CAP

no report on his condition at this point.

http://www.arkansasmatters.com/story/d/story/missing-pilots-plane-located/13704/YIGmDQnFqUm_C5mXdzmXbw

[cosmodrum]

Praying for the best.

[gotyacovered]

Hope they did before dark tonight, or at least confirm his condition

[gotyacovered]

RIP

Forestry officials: Missing plane found; pilot did not survive
http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2014/feb/11/plane-missing-forestry-pilot-found-pilot-status-un/

[cosmodrum]

Terrible.

[gotyacovered]

I'm a friend of the family, and we don't talk of it, but I'm asking you as pilots, Is this a recovery project at this point? Surely it's not still a rescue operation. Also, wouldn't his plane have a signaling device on it in case of crash landings?

hoghappy, i am terribly sorry for your loss.

i would like to say from what i am hearing,  it was the accident that killed him, not the exposure. i dont know if that provides any comfort other than he didnt suffer.

again, my condolences to you and yours.

Jeff

[Pistol Pete]

I'm truly sorry to hear that he passed away.
Our family has been dealing with a tragic loss of my nephew, 29, just a year ago. We get a small sense of comfort in knowing he passed away doing what he loved, at a place he loved to be, our family farm.
All of us pilots understand the risks involved, be we also understand that there's a quality of life we'd like enjoy. "I wish I would have..." Is not something I'm going to say when I'm old.

I hope this mans family gets some comfort in knowing that he passed away doing what he enjoyed... and probably loved.

[john c]

So terribly sad.

[gotyacovered]

wow. full article linked below.

The search area had grown to a space encompassing some 2.6 million acres. The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) believes this to be one of the largest search efforts undertaken in the history of Arkansas.

http://wildfiretoday.com/2014/02/11/missing-fire-detection-plane-found-in-arkansas/#more-34257

[Blue35]

Report of TSB.

http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2014/feb/28/report-details-pilots-actions-search-effo-20140228/

IMC prevailed in the area. The ceiling lowered and pushed him into terrain.

[gotyacovered]

Report of TSB.

http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2014/feb/28/report-details-pilots-actions-search-effo-20140228/

IMC prevailed in the area. The ceiling lowered and pushed him into terrain.

i am shocked, sad and disapointed. completely expected a different report. sad deal. shouldnt have happened.

NTSB report:
http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief.aspx?ev_id=20140211X41001&key=1

NTSB Identification: CEN14GA135
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, January 31, 2014 in Oden, AR
Aircraft: CESSNA 210E, registration: N4957U
Injuries: 1 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. : NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this public aircraft accident report.

On January 31, 2014, about 1317 central standard time, a Cessna 210E, N4957U, was destroyed when it impacted terrain during a fire detection flight near Glenwood, Arkansas. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, received fatal injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by the Arkansas Forestry Commission as a public-use aircraft. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the area near the accident site at the time of the accident. The pilot filed a company visual flight rules flight plan. The airplane departed from the Malvern Municipal Airport (M78), Malvern, Arkansas, at 1240, on a local fire detection flight.

The pilot originally scheduled for the flight needed to cancel due to sickness. The accident pilot was contacted on the morning of the accident and was asked if he wanted to take the flight. He agreed to take the flight, and he arrived at the airport at 1200 to check weather and preflight the airplane.

There is no aviation weather reporting station located at M78. The closest weather reporting station is located in Hot Springs, Arkansas, located 19 nautical miles (nm) to the northwest of M78. At 1153, the Hot Springs surface weather observation was reporting a ceiling of 1,500 feet above ground level (agl). At 1153, the Mount Ida surface weather observation was reporting a ceiling of 1,100 feet agl. The 1155 surface weather observation at Mena, Arkansas, was reporting a ceiling of 500 feet agl.

The pilot departed M78 at 1240 to conduct a fire detection flight of Fire District 2 (D-2) using a predetermined flight route. The pilot reported his flight progress to the dispatch center which provided flight following. The pilot reported entering the eastern boundary of the forest district at 1253. At 1258, he reported checkpoint 2, which is located at Mt. Ida, Arkansas. The pilot turned north toward checkpoint 1, located 32 nm to the north at Danville, Arkansas. At 1303, the pilot reported to the dispatch center that he was 20 nm from checkpoint one and he was turning back due to low ceilings. At 1311, the pilot reported that he was 3 nm west of Oden, Arkansas, which is about 16 nm southwest of his last reported position on a magnetic bearing of 244 degrees. There were no further radio transmissions from the pilot. The accident site was located about 13 nm from the last reported position near Oden, Arkansas, on a magnetic bearing of 171 degrees.

The airplane impacted trees on a ridgeline, which had an elevation of 1,473 feet. The outboard section of the left wing was found on top of the ridge line. The main wreckage was located 0.3 mile south of the ridgeline at an elevation of 686 feet on a 175 degree magnetic bearing.

There were no witnesses to the accident. When the pilot did not check in with the dispatch center after 30 minutes from his last communication, the dispatch center attempted to contact the pilot. At 1431, the Federal Aviation Administration's Flight Service Station was contacted about the overdue airplane and the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center was notified. Ground and aerial searches were made for the missing airplane, but weather conditions over the next 11 days hampered the search effort. The airplane wreckage was located on February 11, 2014.

The 1153 surface weather observation at the Hot Springs Memorial Field Airport (HOT), Hot Springs, Arkansas, located 35 nm miles on a 082 degrees magnetic bearing from the accident site, was wind 150 degrees at 4 knots; 10 miles visibility; overcast 1,500 feet; temperature 10 degrees Celsius (C); dew point 5 degrees C; altimeter 29.97 inches of mercury.

The 1253 surface weather observation at HOT was wind 180 degrees at 3 knots; 10 miles visibility; overcast 1,700 feet; temperature 12 degrees C; dew point 6 degrees C; altimeter 29.93 inches of mercury.

The 1153 surface weather observation at the Bearce Airport (7M3), Mount Ida, Arkansas, located 15 nm on a 041 degrees magnetic bearing from the accident site, was wind variable at 3 knots; 10 miles visibility; overcast 1,100 feet; temperature 9 degrees C; dew point 6 degrees C; altimeter 29.92 inches of mercury.

The 1253 surface weather observation at 7M3 was 10 miles visibility; overcast 1,200 feet; temperature 10 degrees C; dew point 7 degrees C; altimeter 29.89 inches of mercury.

The 1155 surface weather observation at the Mena Intermountain Municipal Airport (MEZ), Mena, Arkansas, located 22 nm on a 292 degrees magnetic bearing from the accident site, was wind light and variable; 7 miles visibility; overcast 500 feet; temperature 11 degrees C; dew point 10 degrees C; altimeter 29.92 inches of mercury.

The 1315 surface weather observation at MEZ was wind 170 degrees at 3 knots; 7 miles visibility; overcast 700 feet; temperature 12 degrees C; dew point 11 degrees C; altimeter 29.89 inches of mercury.