CAP Fatalities

[dhon27]

Received this by email today on the NJWG mailing list from NER/DO.  A tragic reminder that we, as volunteers, are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for others.

SENT ON BEHALF OF BRIGADIER GENERAL AMY S. COURTER
______________________________________________________

Members of the National Board and Board of Governors

It is with deep regret that I inform you that three members of the
Civil
Air Patrol perished in the line of duty yesterday.

A Wyoming Wing aircrew was participating in an AFRCC authorized search
for a missing 16 year old.  After the plane was reported two hours
overdue, a second CAP aircraft was launched to search for the missing
C-182 when a U.S. Forest Service helicopter working in the area spotted
the crash site in rough terrain. 

The names of the members will not be released until their next of kin
have been notified.  I will provide you with more information as it
becomes available.

Very respectfully

AMY S. COURTER
Brigadier General, CAP
Acting National Commander

[Lancer]

My sympathies to the families. 

Blue Skies.

EDIT - Quote omitted.

[shorning]

http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=2773.0

[shorning]

http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=2772.0

[jimmydeanno]

May their souls find peace, and their families remember what their loved ones stood for.

This is a tragic event indeed, and my prayers are with the families of these fine members.

[MIKE]

Topics merged.

[Sgt. Savage]

"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived."
- General George S. Patton, Jr

Let them not be mourned. Praise them for they gave their lives in defense of others.

[Duke Dillio]

Awesome quote there Sgt. Savage.  I'll pray for their families knowing that they were doing good where most people these days won't. 

[Pylon]

Requiescat in pace, brother airmen and CAP members.

[alexalvarez]

God bless their soul's.

[docspur]

Just received the news. May God bless their families with Peace.

My highest regards to all you "flyguys" for doing a very dangerous job.

From a "Ground Pounder."

[LtCol White]

"That others may live"

[Nomex Maximus]

Respectfully, here is a link to the latest news from Wyoming.

http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2007/08/21/news/top_story/doc46cb3859eac51596451784.txt

[flyerthom]

Greater love hath no man...

Prayers to the familes and squadron mates.

[Stonewall]

A gleam of light into the tragedy is knowing they died doing what they loved.

God speed. RIP

In your honor....

[ricecakecm]

To fly west, my friend, is a flight we all must take for a final check.

[bosshawk]

My prayer:

May the Almighty cradle them in his arms for eternity.

May their families know that they did not die in vain, but were intent on helping their fellow man.

May the CAP family close ranks and be determined to continue to pursue the lofty goals that each of them espoused.

Amen.

[RogueLeader]

Good-bye, Farewell, and Amen
You will be missed,
Uh-Rah

[SARMedTech]

I had a SAR instructor who said there is a special place at the side of the Almighty for those who give their lives in service to others. Our comrades have taken up that rightful place. May this bring some peace to the crew's families and ease their suffering as they begin to heal from their loss.

God speed brave friends.

[Nick Critelli]

In honor of our fallen colleagues, the IAWG will wear black arm bands during this weekend's WTA as per the attached order from Col. Tomlinson, IAWG-CC

[A.Member]

Godspeed!

[Major Carrales]

Often times, when we are deployed at SARexs or at our regular meetings...or even at those stressful REDCAPs, we enjoy each other's company.  We later recount those moments when "this" happened or when "that guy" did "that." 

We so often take for granted those around us...we look at our brother and sister CAP airmen as our friends, locked in the comfort of the present.

While the majority of us did not know, directly, the CAP Officers that died on this mission, we are never-the-less connected to them by the fact that they were volunteers like us.  Odds are, we know people like them.

Let us honor their memory by enjoying the company of our fellow CAP Officers and savor each moment, each exchange and each argument that may arise from time to time when passion toward service arises.  Those times when tempers heat, but that cool to the warmth of friendship.

GOD BLESS our FALLEN CAP Fellows!

[alice]

Jim Tynan of National Heaquarters put out a press release right before 7PM Tuesday night.

http://www.cap.gov/visitors/news/media_center/press_releases/index.cfm?fuseaction=display&nodeID=6194&newsID=3420&year=2007&month=8

[DogCollar]

May the peace of God rest upon all those that grieve the loss of this aircrew.  My thoughts and prayers are for the families of the crew and also the people of the Wyoming Wing. 

[addo1]

   May God comfort these mourning families in this time of loss, and cradle them is his loving arms.

[mikeylikey]

Has the NTSB released a preliminary before investigation cause yet?  I hope the families get the support needed now from the Government.  Too many horror stories about insurance realting to accidents like this. 

Perhaps NHQ should start a "collection" also. 

[Nomex Maximus]

Updated on the cap.gov website this morning:

http://www.cap.gov/visitors/news/cap_news_online/index.cfm?fuseaction=display&nodeID=6192&newsID=3427&year=2007&month=8

[Lancer]

I've been thinking about this since the incident happened, and as much as I hate to take the focus away from the fact that we just lost three of our own; Has anyone taken into account the 16 year old that this aircrew was trying to find?

I know that if I had found out that three people are now gone because they were looking for me, I'd be rather upset about that news.

I'm no expert in CISM, but there has got to be some provision for these circumstances, yeah?

[Nomex Maximus]

I've been thinking about this since the incident happened, and as much as I hate to take the focus away from the fact that we just lost three of our own; Has anyone taken into account the 16 year old that this aircrew was trying to find?

I know that if I had found out that three people are now gone because they were looking for me, I'd be rather upset about that news.

I'm no expert in CISM, but there has got to be some provision for these circumstances, yeah?

Yes, I thought of it. It has to be pretty hard on the young man. I don't know that CAP would be the right organization to help him deal with it though. We (CAP) were called to go find him. The young man was lost and needed to be found. We don't have any reason to believe that the young man was being irresponsible. It was a legitimate use of CAP's services to help find him.  As far as we all know the very experienced pilot (he was a check pilot and an FRO) was trying his best to fly safe but got caught by something. As far as we know things were being done properly and something bad happened anyhow. Don't know how the young man will deal with it.

--Nomex

[A.Member]

I've been thinking about this since the incident happened, and as much as I hate to take the focus away from the fact that we just lost three of our own; Has anyone taken into account the 16 year old that this aircrew was trying to find?

I know that if I had found out that three people are now gone because they were looking for me, I'd be rather upset about that news.

I'm no expert in CISM, but there has got to be some provision for these circumstances, yeah?

Yes, I thought of it. It has to be pretty hard on the young man. I don't know that CAP would be the right organization to help him deal with it though. We (CAP) were called to go find him. The young man was lost and needed to be found. We don't have any reason to believe that the young man was being irresponsible. It was a legitimate use of CAP's services to help find him.  As far as we all know the very experienced pilot (he was a check pilot and an FRO) was trying his best to fly safe but got caught by something. As far as we know things were being done properly and something bad happened anyhow. Don't know how the young man will deal with it.

--Nomex

One very serious question was raised for me in this whole tragedy as a result of this statement from the original press release:

The crew departed the Sheridan Airport in Sheridan, Wyo. at about 1:30 p.m. MDT for a two-hour mission. When they failed to return on time the Wyoming Wing incident commander notified AFRCC officials and an overdue aircraft search was immediately initiated.

This statement was either very poorly worded by the PAO, the facts were incorrectly reported or missing, or there were some problems with procedure on that mission.  Aircrews should report in every 30 minutes.  The way I read this, the IC waited at least 2 hours prior to contacting anyone.  When was the last contact with the aircrew?  Why did they wait so long to initiate a search?  It may not have changed the outcome in this case but that is a serious concern.

Note:  I'm not looking to place blame on anyone here.  Rather the purpose is to raise awareness of an observed issue in the hope that we can learn from it. 

[Nomex Maximus]

NTSB Preliminary report:

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/GenPDF.asp?id=DEN07FA140&rpt=p

[Tubacap]

Found this on 1AF website today.  http://www.1af.acc.af.mil/media/archive/story.asp?id=123065489

[Nomex Maximus]

That's an awfully big 182...

[Frenchie]

Any word on possible causes for the crash?

That's an awfully big 182...

Yep, it's obviously an Airvan and probably just a file picture the paper had for CAP.

[IceNine]

Not anything official from NTSB yet

It is still listed as preliminary

[sardak]

The NTSB factual report is the next step after the preliminary report.  This is issued within a month or so.  The NTSB probable cause report generally takes a year or longer.

Mike