Steve Fossett faked own death? "News of the World" states CAP says possible

[ELTHunter]

I was watching Fox News at lunch.  They had a teaser that said something to the effect that the Civil Air Patrol now says Fosset could have faked his own death.

[CAP Producer]

Here is a Release from NHQ.

Link: http://www.cap.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=display&nodeID=6192&newsID=4486&year=2008&month=7

CAP position on Steve Fossett search clarified

July 28, 2008

NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS -- On Oct. 3, 2007, Civil Air Patrol suspended the search for aviator Steve Fossett following one of the largest and most intensive searches for a missing aircraft in modern history.

Despite CAP's well-coordinated efforts, Fossett and his aircraft remain undetected. Throughout the search for Fossett, Lt. Col. Cindy Ryan, then Nevada Wing public information officer, served as primary media spokesperson. The search was conducted primarily from Minden-Tahoe Airport in Nevada. With suspension of the search, media inquiries are now handled by CAP National Headquarters Public Affairs at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

Recent comments attributed to Ryan regarding the search for Fossett contain errors of fact, appear to be taken out of context and were not released with the knowledge or approval of CAP. Civil Air Patrol's role in the search for Fossett, as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, was limited to search and rescue in coordination with other emergency service providers. Issues pertaining to Fossett's personal life and/or rumors surrounding his disappearance are entirely unrelated to CAP's search efforts and, therefore, it would be inappropriate for CAP to comment about them. 

Over the last decade, the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and CAP have been involved in thousands of searches for missing aircraft, and only 18 of those missions are unsolved. CAP members perform 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the AFRCC and were credited by AFRCC with saving 103 lives in 2007.

The search for Fossett ended after a 20,000-square-mile search that included members of CAP's Nevada, California, Utah, Idaho, Oregon, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas wings. Initially, more than 60 CAP Nevada Wing members and six aircraft were involved in the search effort. Sophisticated "grid" searches of thousands of square miles of rugged, high-desert terrain were conducted by CAP volunteers who devoted in excess of 17,000 man-hours both on the ground and in the air. CAP flew 629 flights totaling 1,774 flying hours.

From the start of the operation, these areas were searched repeatedly at different times of day and light angles in order for crews to better see into deep mountain ravines. Ground search teams on foot, horseback and all-terrain vehicles simultaneously combed the same target areas. 

In addition, nearly a dozen radar analysts reviewed the Fossett radar data, including experts from the Federal Aviation Administration, the Air Force, Navy, National Transportation Safety Board and CAP, using multiple approaches and software tools, all looking for Fossett's radar track.

CAP, the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, Nevada National Guard, Nevada's Department of Emergency Management, California's Office of Emergency Services and many other agencies worked under a unified command structure in order to share resources and coordinate efforts.  Also, the Hilton Flying M Ranch's assets worked closely with CAP and these agencies to ensure their efforts were not duplicated and safety was maintained at all times.

"The search for Steve Fossett is a testament to the unforgiving terrain comprising the search area," said Lt. Col. E.J. Smith, Nevada Wing vice commander. "The combination of high altitude, thick forest and mountainous terrain proved to be unconquerable during this particular search operation."

[mikeylikey]

Sounds like the PAO made some off the wall comments that were picked up without her knowledge. 

[RiverAux]

They've made it to the US: http://www.krdo.com/Global/story.asp?S=8748519

[mikeylikey]

After reading the CAP NHQ response twice, it would appear that the Lt Col did make the remarks and NHQ is trying to confront it before it gets bigger.  I would imagine they were remarks made that she believed would not be part of any article.  It is a shame, but will most likely end her CAP career.

This is a perfect example of reasons to think about what you are going to say before the words come out of your face.  Even if she made the remarks in passing to friends who later passed them on to reporters.....it is still bad form on her part.  The whole "remarks made out of context" would make one consider that in fact she said them without intending for them to be picked up by reporters.

We can expect some more knee-jerk reaction in the next week from NHQ I would imagine!  Perhaps all PAO releases will no have to go through NHQ and the legal counsel office.  I bet we see another reg rewrite within the coming month! 

[Major Lord]

"Recent comments attributed to Ryan regarding the search for Fossett contain errors of fact, appear to be taken out of context and were not released with the knowledge or approval of CAP. Civil Air Patrol's role in the search for Fossett, as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, was limited to search and rescue in coordination with other emergency service providers. Issues pertaining to Fossett's personal life and/or rumors surrounding his disappearance are entirely unrelated to CAP's search efforts and, therefore, it would be inappropriate for CAP to comment about them. "

I noticed that they did not deny she made the comments.....

Major Lord

[mikeylikey]

I noticed that they did not deny she made the comments.....

Major Lord

As did I.  It is a career ending mistake, even if she is totally innocent, the example will have to be made now.  CAP is very good at making examples out of people.   

[Major Carrales]

I noticed that they did not deny she made the comments.....

Major Lord

The importance of OPSEC.

Makes me wonder how many of our specuations here migth one day end up in some tabloid.  Kind of makes you think...don't it?  Think before you post. 

[RiverAux]

Keep in mind that there are at least two sets of comments being discussed here:

'I've been doing this search and rescue for 14 years. Fossett should have been found. It's not like we didn't have our eyes open. We found six other planes while we were looking for him. We're pretty good at what we do.'"

I think I remember seeing comments like that in other legit press coverage (perhaps that big magazine article on the Fosset search a few months ago?).  Nothing wrong with that comment at all. 

It is the non-quoted comments about him faking his own death or his family problems that are troublesome.  If she actually said anything along those lines, that would be a problem no matter the context. 

[BillB]

I question the fact that the questionable quote on Fossett faking his death magically appear nine months after the search effort was terminated. If such a statement was made, it would have been a major news item LAST October. I doubt any news agency would do a follow up this late (I know I wouldn't since the news value was about a zero, and I have 40 years in journalism)
A follow-up 30 or 60 days after the event would have the IC being the one interviewed, not the PAO, just to get a different view pointof the search effort. Other than what the PAO had previously released.

[mikeylikey]

^ Just a few weeks ago the major news outlets all reported that the widow would stop funding searches, and does not want anyone to continue searching.  There were also the reports on private searches continuing. 

There are always followups to major news stories, days, weeks, months and years later.  This event is no different. 

She could have been called late one night and lured into a speculative conversation that she believed had no relevance. 

[BuckeyeDEJ]

"Recent comments attributed to Ryan regarding the search for Fossett contain errors of fact, appear to be taken out of context and were not released with the knowledge or approval of CAP. Civil Air Patrol's role in the search for Fossett, as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, was limited to search and rescue in coordination with other emergency service providers. Issues pertaining to Fossett's personal life and/or rumors surrounding his disappearance are entirely unrelated to CAP's search efforts and, therefore, it would be inappropriate for CAP to comment about them. "

I noticed that they did not deny she made the comments.....

Major Lord

But they didn't admit it, either. I'm sure there's an ongoing inquiry into the comments. I still can't imagine she said that, even in an unguarded moment, to a reporter.

[mikeylikey]

^ I have got to say it does not look good.  She will be the example to all of us in CAP.  She presented herself very well on television.  This situation is a shame. 

[IceNine]

did anyone see the press conference with Gen. Courter?

or has there been any reports after the fact?

I am on the right timeline right, this was supposed to happen tonight

[Mustang]

Rumors are surfacing that Fossett may have faked his own death, and some sources are pointing to the search's CAP PAO:

This from The Register of London: "Despite a massive search for Fossett and his Bellanca Citabria Super Decathalon, no trace of either has ever been found. Lieutenant Colonel Cynthia Ryan of the US Civil Air Patrol, who was involved in the operation from the start, said: 'I've been doing this search and rescue for 14 years. Fossett should have been found. It's not like we didn't have our eyes open. We found six other planes while we were looking for him. We're pretty good at what we do.'"

"Ryan believes Fossett "may have faked his own death due to personal problems or fears about his business dealings", the Telegraph explains.

NHQ has responded, and PAO Ryan as apparently been scolded: 

Col. Ryan, reached in Nevada, said, "As much as I'd like to, I've been instructed not to talk to the media."

Oops.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/scienceandsociety/2008/07/did-steve-fosse.html

[IceNine]

http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=5624.0

Oh really

[NEBoom]

ABC News has also picked it up, though only on one of their blogs (so far).
http://blogs.abcnews.com/scienceandsociety/2008/07/did-steve-fosse.html

[Mustang]

Meh. I never foray into the Lobby...

[flyguy06]

http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=5624.0

Oh really

Icenine. I am SURE that she was instructed not to talkto the media AFTER her previous comments cameout. Look at the date of he original article. It was yesterday, so somethigs have obviously changed.

[Smithsonia]

Let me see if I can explain the media in a metaphorical way:
Media heat has it's own separate and parallel truth. Like a pack of dogs, each individual reporter is sniffing the scent of the story-fox, when a reported whiff comes along, that "reporter-dog will bey out-loud and the pack heads in a new direction. Individual reports and reporters need not be telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth, at any given moment, they may or may not know where the story-fox is, they simply are stating their belief that the "story-fox" is moving in a certain direction. In this way the new story-dog leads the pack until it looses the scent. At that point either another dog in the pack takes over the lead or the story-fox goes into hiding for a while, or forever. I imagine that the "story-fox" is leading this pack no where. I presume that the story-dog has taken a whiff that is leading the pack in an unproductive circle. Soon the pack will sniff only amongst itself and retrace its former path. Eventually the pack will give up due to disinterest. But for the time being the pack's blood is up and they are looking and sniffing and barking.

Please keep this little metaphor in mind when among the pack. I've been a member of the pack for 40 years. I know the pack intimately. The pack makes sense from the inside, but from the outside it can sound  just like a bunch of noise running from place to place.