Prince William Composite Squadron

Virginia Wing, Civil Air Patrol

Mission in Madison County

 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mission in Madison County

September 9, 2007 --

At 11:29 PM local on Thursday, September 7th Virginia Wing received a page from the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) informing them of a missing aircraft flying between Jacksonville, FL and Winchester, VA Regional Airport.  From the sketchy information AFRCC had it was apparent the aircraft had not filed a flight plan.  It was unknown who was on board or what color the aircraft was painted.  The only info AFRCC was able to pass along was a possible aircraft type and that it had been in radio contact with Potomac Approach Control receiving Flight Following service and using either N6493W or 93W as a call sign.  According to AFRCC the last position report the aircraft gave Potomac Approach was 12 NM southwest of Winchester Regional Airport.

   LtCol Rick Ritchie, Virginia Wing Staff, took the position of Incident Commander and LtCol Duke Stanton, Group 3 Commander, activated Group 3 resources in response to this USAF mission.  He immediately volunteered to find a copilot and man the CAP aircraft stationed in  Winchester.  Ground teams from Winchester and Prince William began preparing to respond to the call for assistance.  Search teams were faced with an over 600 sq. mile search area from the last know location of the aircraft.

     LtCol Stanton and 1stLt Mark Myers, Winchester Composite Squadron, launched from Winchester's airport while Capt. C.J. Muncy and Cadet Zach Muncy, Winchester Composite Squadron, stood by as a ground team and LtCol Steve Ritter, also of Winchester Composite and a member of Frederick County, VA Fire and Rescue, manned the radios at the Winchester Search Base at the CAP hangar and provided liaison to rescue crews.

     Shortly after takeoff LtCol Stanton radioed that the aircraft was not picking up any beacon, so it began as much of a visual search of the area as possible on a very dark night looking for smoke or fire.  While this search proceeded the IC received a call from Sgt. Chambers, from AFRCC, who gave me the coordinates of the last radar hit.  The latest position was located approximately 12 miles NNW of Madison, VA.  Shortly after this new information was received Capt. Mike Conner of Group 3 staff who was with Major Jim Covel, Prince William Composite Squadron's Commander, at Manassas Regional Airport reported that they were ready to launch as a ground team.  The IC directed them to Criglersville, VA via Madison, VA and stood the Winchester ground team down.  The IC then redirected the aircraft to the last radar coordinates to attempt to pick up an Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) beacon.  The IC then called the Monticello Squadron in Charlottesville, VA and had them launch a ground team comprised of LtCol Dave Duncan, Captains Jim Rhoads and Rick Keippela and Cadets Hope Piirto and Parker Yost toward Criglersville.  By this time LtCol Stanton had called saying as soon as he neared the coordinates they heard an ELT beacon and localized it.  LtCol Stanton's crew passed the coordinate along to the IC since it would be another hour and a half before ground teams could arrive in the area, and was directed to return to base.  The IC then contacted Virginia Department of Emergency Management, Emergency Operation Center (VADEM EOC) in Richmond, VA requesting Madison County Sheriff and a Fire and Rescue ambulance to meet the ground teams in Criglersville before proceeding to the area of the ELT.

     Shortly before 4am the ground teams and local support made contact and proceeded to the area.  Prince William Composite Squadron had LtCol Carl Lyon and Major Paul Holmes standing by as a second aircrew in case to support the ground teams as they arrived at the search area.  Due to the terrain the ground team was not able to pickup the ELT's signal.  The second aircraft arrived and picked up and localized the beacon again.  Leesburg Composite’s Commander, Major Jeff Van Etten, who, along with 2ndLt Paulo Mourao and LtCol Bill Knight, launched to relieve the Prince William aircraft as the ground teams drew closer to the aircraft location.

     The crash sight was located at 11:35am at coordinates at an altitude of 2300’MSL in steep wooded terrain.  Three status 3 persons on board were recovered.  Through the professional efforts of members across the area the aircraft was quickly located in difficult terrain. 

     Prince William Squadron offers its condolences to the families of those who were lost in this crash.

For More Information Contact:

Prince William Composite Squadron
10500 Observation Ln., Manassas, VA 20110
Tel: 703-501-7850
Internet: darlenewill@adelphia.net

 

Send mail to princewilliamsquadron@gmail.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: 08/19/09