CAP Fatalities

[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