BOMBER TAIL – Northern Pioneer Helicopters assisted in a recovery project of the B17 north of Talkeetna on Thursday

In September 1951, a B17 bomber crashed north of Talkeenta.  Bush Pilot Cliff Hudson is credited for saving the lives of the souls on board.  This week and next, the wreckage of that plane is being airlifted out of the wilderness to Talkeetna and transported to Ohio for a project at the Champaign Aviation Museum.  The story is about history, love of aviation, and a restoration project that some might think impossible.  Sue Deyoe has more…

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**Mahay’s, Northern Pioneer Helicopters, K2 Aviation and a large number of others are credited with help in this operation.

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correction: Christine Nelson’s title is Director of Planning and Land Use

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Kahiltna Basecamp Put In – B company’s 52nd Aviation Regiment’s “Sugar Bears” assist with Denali’s operations each spring.

The sights and sounds of spring in Talkeetna not only include birds returning to their summer home, dripping water and children playing, but Army Chinooks and Blackhawks.  The military aircraft from Fairbanks, along with 15 or more troops, show up in Talkeetna each spring for training. The annual event is one of the most unusual peace-time missions in Army helicopter airlift operations history. However, this year is different.

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NSTB investigators say the plane sustained some structural damage.

The FAA is looking into the regulatory issues involved in the crash – if the pilot had all the current licensing and medical requirements and if the aircraft was current.  The NSTB is investigating the cause of the accident.

About 18 people showed up at the monthly meeting, perhaps attracted by the one single topic on the agenda – the proposed Susitna Dam.  Many people applauded the council and said the draft letter that had been written and presented by the newly formed Susitna Dam committee was thoughtful and well written.  A few suggestions were made and once the revisions are finished, the letter will be sent directly to Senator Charlie Huggins and Representative Mark Neuman and copied to the Governor and the rest of the legislature.

The letter will also be an attachment to the Mat Su Borough assembly along with a short letter asking them to reject a proposed Borough resolution supporting the dam.  The Susitna Dam committee is not taking a side on whether or not the dam should be built, but questioning lack of process and oversight in the legislature as well as true cost of the project.

At the same time, the Chase Community Council sent their letter of disapproval on the Borough resolution to all the members of the Assembly.

The Council also voted to send a letter to Senator Charlie Huggins in reference to work slated at the Talkeetna State Airport this summer and asking him to hold a town hall meeting in Talkeetna about the project and its impacts on residents and pilots.  The letter will cover at least 3 points: the proposed pedestrian pathway that abruptly ends at the Railroad tracks without taking pedestrians safely across the tracks; the number of trees to be removed appears to be excessive and perhaps detrimental to the floodplain; AND there doesn’t appear to be sufficient funding to complete the project as proposed.

Communications and council business can be found on their website at tkacouncil.org. The next meeting of the council is May 2^nd.

Equipment is being staged near the Susitna River Bridge near milepost 80 of the Denali Highway.  Tracked vehicles will be used to recover the debris.

Although dog mushers and other recreationalists can continue to use the roadway, the Denali Highway is not scheduled to open to motorists until May 15^th.

Anyone using the area near the recovery site should use caution and be aware that recovery efforts are on going.

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Air Force Warns Not to Pick Up F-22 Debris, If Found

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Denali Highway Plowed to Alpine Lodge To Recover Wreckage, and Search

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I CAN SEE FOR MILES - The FAA has installed its 150th webcam in Alaska at the Talkeetna state airport.

On Friday afternoon, the Federal Aviation Administration unveiled their 150^th webcam installed in Alaska which just happens to be at the Talkeetna Airport.  Pilots around Alaska are cheering the technology which is helping reduce accidents across the state.

Download audio file (20110328FAAwecamspkg.mp3)

]]> http://ktna.org/2011/03/28/talkeetna-receives-faas-150th-webcam/feed/ 0 http://ktna.org/2011/03/28/morning-newscast-monday-march-28-2011/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=morning-newscast-monday-march-28-2011 http://ktna.org/2011/03/28/morning-newscast-monday-march-28-2011/#comments Mon, 28 Mar 2011 20:45:25 +0000 Sue Deyoe http://ktna.org/?p=13368 KTNA’s morning news, weather forecast, Denali echos, announcements for March 28th.  Host is Trisha Costello.  Headlines – Troopers end  standoff peacefully; Denali Overflights Advisory Council continue its work; MEA approves notice to proceed on Eklutna plant. 16 min.

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Legislators say that any significant expansion of Military Operations Areas may have a far-reaching impact across multiple segments of the state’s communities and the economy. In particular they are worried about the impact on the aviation industry and on Alaskans who rely heavily on aviation for the transport of people and goods.

The Mat-Su Borough assembly in last Tuesday’s meeting passed a resolution that raised concerns about potential noise, conflicts with civilian air traffic and economic impacts on businesses that depend on natural resources. The resolution is requesting that the Air Force and US Army involve the communities of Talkeetna, Trapper Creek, Willow, Houston and other lower valley towns in the development of the proposal.

Mayor Larry DeVilbiss said he feels the language is too strongly worded against the military’s proposal and contemplates vetoeing the resolution.

DeVilbiss  also thanked Governor Sean Parnell for adding $20 million in the governor’s budget for the Port MacKenzie Rail extension and for the governor’s support of the Susitna Large Hydro project.

Any debris discovered by snowmachiners or others should not be handled because the aircraft was built with materials that can present health risks if they are mishandled. The Air Force established a call center for people to contact trained technicians who can recover the material safely.

The number is 907-552-9321.

The F-22 Raptor crashed Nov. 16 near Cantwell while flying a routine trainings mission. The Air Force is still investigating the cause of the crash.

The pilot’s name was released as Captain Jeffrey Haney by his hometown paper in Michigan.  The story stated that some of his family members were on their way to Alaska.  Haney’s wife and children are from Eagle River.

Residents near Cantwell report that the Denali Highway has been plowed down to the gravel by the military. Dog mushers and skiers should be aware of the possibility that they will not be able to use that area.  The owners of MacLaren Lodge at milepost 42 of the Denali highway say the military has plowed the road only to the Susitna River and that snow conditions are good for recreational travel between Paxson and the river.  Search crews are staging near Alpine Creek Lodge. Flights over the area are currently prohibited.

The craft lost contact with air traffic control Tuesday evening. A search was initiated that continued throughout the night.  Wreckage was found Wednesday that fits the data and description of where Air National Guard officials thought the crash occurred.

The search area was initially the size of Connecticut, between Talkeetna and Cantwell.  The aircraft apparently did not go down inside the boundaries of Denali National Park and park officials at Talkeetna Ranger Station are not involved with the search efforts.

The search for the missing pilot is continuing today.

The pilot has cold weather gear and is trained to survive in sub arctic and Arctic conditions.

The pilot’s name is being withheld until the pilot’s status is determined.  There is still hope that the pilot is alive as the wreckage area is searched.

Residents near Cantwell report that the Denali Highway is being plowed to the gravel by the military.  Recreationists using the highway have been turned around and plows are busy on that road.  Mushers and skiers should be aware of the possibility that they will not be able to use that area.  The owners of MacClaren Lodge at milepost 42 of the Denali highway say the military is plowing the road only to the Susitna River and that snow conditions are good for recreational travel beyond that point.  The Air National Guard has NOT confirmed that the Denali Highway is actually closed to traffic.

Katmai National Park officials were notified Tuesday night by local helicopter pilot, Sam Egli, who had spotted parts of the aircraft, on a narrow stretch of beach between Cape Douglas and the Douglas River.

On August 21^st, the float plane had taken off from Swikshak Lagoon which is about 30 miles to the south of where the debris was located. The Beaver floatplane was carrying 3 National Park service employees, 26 year old Mason McLeod and brothers 28 year old Neal Spradlin and 20 year old Seth Spradlin as well as the pilot 47 year old Marco Alletto from King Salmon.

The discovery of the debris brings with it some closure after searchers have been scouring the land and coast in and around Katmai National Park by air and by land for more than a month. National Park Service, Coast Guard and civilian pilots flew more than a dozen aircraft over 60 thousand miles over the 4 million acre national park while searching for the missing plane. Three Talkeetna park service personnel, Missy Smothers, Coley Gentzel and Matt Hendrickson as well as the Denali rescue helicopter, its pilot and mechanic, were all part of the dozens of people involved in the search.  Missy Smothers said that it brings some relief to the long search and they were betting that once the fall leaves blew away that searchers would be able to see something that hadn’t been seen earlier.  She said a lot of time was spent walking the beaches.

It is believed that high tides and strong east winds on Monday and Tuesday were responsible for washing the debris up on shore and making it more visible.

The National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating the crash.

FALL TIME IN THE VALLEY— After a long rainy summer, the clouds lifted and left residents and visitors to Talkeetna with a spectactular view of Mount McKinley and the Alaska Range in the past few days. Photo by Diana Haecker

The Mat Su Borough code requires that the manager submit a list of projects each year.  That list is submitted to the governor, the state legislature and the DOT for funding consideration.

Usually the list includes community and road building-type projects.  Some of the projects listed in the Talkeetna area are:   a floatplane facility for the Talkeetna airport; a restroom for the Talkeetna Wildwood Playground; a community swimming pool; Talkeetna softball field picnic area; Talkeetna Riverfront park funding; a boat launch at Talkeetna Lakes Park and historic downtown improvements.

Dan Harrell is on the Borough’s Parks and Trails Advisory Committee and was in attendance at the meeting to ask the council for advice on which projects were a priority.  His committee makes priority suggestions to the Borough’s manager.

Discussion ensued on the idea of a swimming pool and the safety and health benefits it could provide.  The council’s board of directors unanimously voted to place a swimming pool as a high priority on the CIP list.  They said it wasn’t THE highest priority, but just one of the top priorities.

A minimum of ten aircraft are searching daily for the missing single engine floatplane that disappeared on August 21^st.

One of those searching is the Talkeetna-based rescue helicopter for Denali.  Three personnel from the Talkeetna Ranger Station have been aiding in the search for the missing individuals and the floatplane.  The Alaska Air National Guard, the US Coast Guard, Alaska State Troopers, US Department of Interior, FAA, NTSB, local air taxis and others are assisting in the search.

As hunting season begins, the searchers have asked those flying in for hunting purposes to be on the lookout for the missing DeHavilland Beaver floatplane and its four occupants, Mason McLeod (maccloud), Neal and Seth Spradlin and Marco Alletto.

The 1956 Piper made an emergency landing near milepost 137 of the Parks Highway around 3:30 in the afternoon.  After the aircraft landed, it struck a road sign, rolled into the southbound ditch and hit the embankment.

The pilot was 43-year-old Kenneth Wasche. He and his passenger were uninjured but the plane sustained $30,000 worth of damage.

Trooper investigation revealed that alcohol was not a factor in the crash.   No other vehicles were reported involved in the landing or crash.  The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the accident.

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The ground search for missing hiker, 54-year-old John MacGregor, of Jasper, Georgia is continuing today inside Denali National Park.  There are now 70 people involved in the search as well as a dog team from Alaska Search and Rescue Dogs.  (photo courtesy of NPS)

Two fixed wing aircraft and 4 helicopters are searching area that is difficult or hazardous for ground crews.

MacGregor was last seen at the Eielson Visitor Center, milepost 66 of the Park Road, headed for Thorofare Ridge on Sunday.  He was dressed for warm-weather day-hiking and was carrying a small day pack.  He was due back in Fairbanks on Monday for a meeting, which he missed.  Alaska State Troopers notified the Park Service on Monday that MacGregor had not arrived at his Fairbanks hotel and not appeared for his scheduled meeting. His car was found at a parking lot near the Denali Park entrance.

The weather in the park has been variable, with sun and clouds, highs in the upper 50s to low 60s and night-time temperatures in the mid 30s to mid-40s.

The search encompasses an area of 100 square miles and includes elevations between 3,000 and 6,000 feet.