Saturday, February 02, 2019

Loss of Control in Flight: Beech B200 Super King Air, N13LY; fatal accident occurred January 29, 2019 in Kake, Alaska






Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board

The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Juneau, Alaska

Location: Kake, Alaska
Accident Number: ANC19FA012
Date & Time: January 29, 2019, 18:11 Local 
Registration: N13LY
Aircraft: Beech 200 
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 3 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under:

On January 29, 2019, about 1811 Alaska standard time, a Raytheon Aircraft Company B200 airplane, N13LY, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident in Kake, Alaska. The pilot, flight paramedic, and flight nurse were presumed fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 air ambulance flight.

The flight, operated by Guardian Flight LLC, departed Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC), Anchorage, Alaska at 1604, on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan, destined for the Kake Airport (AFE), Kake, Alaska. A review of archived voice communication information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) indicated that, at 1806:07, the radar controller cleared the pilot for the radio navigation (RNAV) runway 11 approach to AFE, which the pilot confirmed. At 1807:45, the controller advised the pilot to change frequency, which the pilot also confirmed.

There were no further communications with the accident flight.

A review of archived FAA radar and ADS-B data revealed that the accident airplane crossed the CEMGA waypoint on the RNAV runway 11 approach at an altitude of about 7,000 ft above mean sea level (msl), then turned northeast and crossed the ZOLKO initial approach fix about 5,000 ft msl. The airplane then initiated a gradual descent and continued northeast toward the JOJOE intermediate fix. About 1810, while the flight was between ZOLKO and JOJOE, the airplane entered a right turn toward a southerly heading and began a rapid descent, losing about 2,575 ft of altitude in 14 seconds. The last radar data point was at 1810:36 when the airplane was at 1,300 ft msl and heading 143° with a ground speed of 174 knots. (See figure 1 and figure 2.)

Figure 1 - ADS-B track of the accident airplane with air traffic communications for the approach clearance.

Figure 2 - Excerpt RNAV (GPS) RWY 11 Approach PAFE.

A witness at the destination airport, who was scheduled to meet the accident airplane, observed the pilot controlled runway lights illuminate. When the airplane failed to arrive, she contacted the company to inquire about the overdue airplane.

The airplane impacted the ocean waters of Frederick Sound. On January 30, airplane debris was located about 22 miles west of Kake floating on the surface of the water near Point Gardner in Chatham Strait. 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Airline transport 
Age: 63, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land; Single-engine sea; Multi-engine land; Multiengine sea
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Helicopter
Restraint Used: Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane; Helicopter 
Second Pilot Present:
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane multi-engine; Airplane single-engine
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 1 With waivers/limitations Last FAA Medical Exam: September 17, 2018
Occupational Pilot: Yes 
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: October 11, 2018
Flight Time: (Estimated) 17774 hours (Total, all aircraft), 1644.5 hours (Total, this make and model), 93 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 40 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)

According to the operator's training records, the pilot completed initial training at Guardian Flight (the accident operator) and was eligible for duty as a pilot-in-command in a Raytheon Aircraft Company B200 aircraft on May 15, 2015. According to his personal logbook, he was hired with a total flight time of about 16,878 hours, 1,937.9 hours of actual IFR, 1,371.5 hours of simulated IFR, 3,720.2 hours of night time, and 12,559.2 hours cross country. In addition, he had accumulated about 1,644.5 hours in the accident airplane make and model since starting with the company. His most recent airman competency/proficiency check, which was administered by a company check airman, was completed on October 11, 2018.

The pilot's flight and duty records revealed that on January 26, his duty day started at 0600 and ended at 1800; and he did not fly. On January 27, his duty day started at 0600 and ended at 1830; and he flew 2.4 hrs. On January 28, his duty day started at 0600 and ended at 1800; and he flew 1.5 hrs. On January 29, the day of the accident, the pilot's duty start time was not recorded; however, Guardian Flight indicated his duty day started at 0600 and he flew about 2.5 hrs prior to the accident flight.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Beech 
Registration: N13LY
Model/Series: 200 B200 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2000 
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: BB-1718
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle 
Seats: 7
Date/Type of Last Inspection: December 12, 2018 Continuous airworthiness
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: Turbo prop
Airframe Total Time: 5226 Hrs as of last inspection 
Engine Manufacturer: Pratt & Whitney Canada
ELT: C126 installed, not activated 
Engine Model/Series: PT6A-52
Registered Owner:
Rated Power: 850 Horsepower
Operator: 
Operating Certificate(s) Held: On-demand air taxi (135)

The Raytheon Aircraft Company B200 was a six seat, low wing, multiengine airplane manufactured in 2000. The airplane was equipped with two tandem LifePort stretcher systems and Aerosleds that hadbeen installed in conformance with LifePort supplemental type certificate No. SA00273WI. 

The aircraft was configured with two flight crew seats in the cockpit. The LifePort tandem stretcher systems were installed on the right side of the cabin portion of the airplane, and three passenger seats were on the left side of the cabin portion of the airplane, two forward facing and one aft facing.

The operator maintained the airplane in accordance with the Beechcraft Super King Air 200 Series Maintenance Manual P/N 101-590010-19, issued December 21, 1973, and P/N 101-590010-19D6 revised May 1, 2017. 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC) 
Condition of Light: Night
Observation Facility, Elevation: PAFE,171 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 18 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 02:56 Local
Direction from Accident Site: 258°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear 
Visibility 10 miles
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 1500 ft AGL 
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 6 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:  /
Wind Direction: 100° 
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /
Altimeter Setting: 29.95 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 2°C / 1°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: Light - None - Rain
Departure Point: Anchorage, AK (PANC)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Destination: Kake, AK (PAFE)
Type of Clearance: IFR
Departure Time: 
Type of Airspace: Class E

Airport Information

Airport: Kake Airport PAFE 
Runway Surface Type:
Airport Elevation: 172 ft msl
Runway Surface Condition: Unknown
Runway Used: 
IFR Approach: RNAV
Runway Length/Width:
VFR Approach/Landing: None

AFE is a publicly owned, non-tower-controlled airport located in Class "G" airspace about 1 mile southeast of Kake, AK, at an estimated elevation of 171.5 ft msl. At the time of the accident, the airport was served by two instrument approach procedures with one asphalt surfaced runway oriented in a 11/29 configuration.

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 3 Fatal 
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries:
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries:
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 3 Fatal 
Latitude, Longitude: 56.994998,-134.46722

The airplane impacted the ocean waters of Frederick Sound and was located with the assistance of a remote operated vehicle (ROV) on March 19, 2019, at a depth of about 500 ft. A cone shape debris field spanned about 1,650 ft on a bearing of 45ยบ, with the lighter debris farther northeast due to the ocean current. (see figure 3.)

Figure 3 - Debris field figure produced by TerraSond courtesy of Alaska Claims Services, Inc.

On March 22 through March 26, 2019, recovery crews, with the assistance of a ROV, recovered most of the airplane's major components from the ocean floor and transported them to Juneau, Alaska. Items that were not found or recovered included but were not limited to, the right aileron, portions of both left and right wings, and portions of both left and right elevators.

The cockpit and instrument panel exhibited extensive impact damage. The floor of the cabin area of the fuselage separated from the aircraft structure and none of the cockpit or passenger seats were located within the airplane.

The left wing was fragmented but remained relatively intact along its span. The outboard section of the left wing, which included most of the left aileron, separated from the wing structure but remained attached by the twisted aileron and aileron trim cables. 

The left inboard flap actuator was extended 2.55 inches, which equated to about 0°-10° extended. The left inboard flap actuator flex drive cable was fractured at the actuator. The left outboard flap actuator was extended 2.95 inches, which equated to about 10° extended. The left outboard flap actuator flex drive cable was partially separated, stretched and the cable strands were separated near the actuator.

The right wing was heavily fragmented and separated from the fuselage into three main sections. The inboard section included the inboard flap and aft spar section from the wing root to the right engine nacelle. The center section included the right main landing gear, the aft portion of the right engine nacelle, and about 8 ft of the wing. The outboard section consisted of about a 10 ft by 3 ft section of the wing skin with the fractured right aileron bellcrank attached. The right aileron was not recovered.

The right inboard flap actuator was extended 2.10 inches, which equated to fully retracted. The right inboard flap actuator flex drive cable attachment fitting was fractured and separated at the actuator. The outboard right flap actuator was extended 1.70 inches, which also equated to fully retracted. The outboard right flap actuator flex drive cable remained attached to the actuator.

The vertical stabilizer separated and exhibited leading edge impact damage. The rudder remained attached to its attach points and was relatively undamaged. The right horizontal stabilizer, right elevator, and about a 3-ft section of the left elevator separated from the vertical stabilizer. About 2 ft of the outboard right elevator and the remainder of the left elevator were not recovered.

The cockpit flight crew seats were recovered, and both seat belt restraints were found unbuckled. One passenger seat was recovered, and the seat belt restraint was found unbuckled. The base of a second passenger seat was recovered; however, the seat back and seat belt restraint were not recovered. All recovered seats exhibited impact damage. One rear passenger seat was not recovered.

Both engine external cases exhibited no signs of fire damage or thermal distress. No anomalies, contamination, or evidence of malfunction were found in any of the engine accessories. The engines displayed contact signatures to their internal components characteristic of the engines developing power at the time of impact. The examination of the engines revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Both the left and right propeller hubs fractured and separated at the propeller shaft. The left propeller blades exhibited torsional twisting, two blades exhibited leading edge gouging, and one blade was missing its tip. All four of the right propeller blades exhibited torsional twisting and leading-edge gouging, and one blade was missing a portion of the propeller tip.

Control continuity could not be established due to numerous fractures in the system and missing cabling and flight control surfaces.

Additional Information

SSCVR Test

The Beechcraft Pilot's Operating Handbook and FAA Approved Flight Manual Supplement for the Fairchild A100S SSCVR, stated in part:

LIMITATIONS

The SSCVR self-test must be successfully accomplished prior to flight.

NORMAL PROCEDURES

After Starting:

1. Battery, Generator, and Inverter Switches – ON

2. CVR TEST Button – DEPRESS AND HOLD DOWN (5 second minimum)

3. Test Circuit Meter – OBSERVE METER NEEDLE IN GREEN BAND

4. CVR TEST Button – Release

*5. Plug headset into control head and speak into CVR instrument panel mounted area mike.

*6. Voice should play back into headset after approximately 1/2 second delay.

*May be omitted for quick turn-around at pilot's discretion.

Company Checklist

A review of the Guardian Flight Normal Procedures, which was an FAA-accepted checklist for the accident airplane, revealed that it did not contain a checklist item for the SSCVR self-test.

FAA Order 8900.1, Volume 3, Chapter 32, Section 12 Safety Assurance System: Aircraft Checklists for 14 CFR Parts 121/135, 3-3402, Checklist Content, A, stated, in part:

A. Content. POIs shall ensure that aircraft checklists are limited to action items or verification items. The aircraft checklist should not contain elaboration or explanation. POIs must ensure that the required actions and decisions for flightcrews when performing a checklist are thoroughly described in the operator's manual and training program. POIs will consider the following when evaluating aircraft checklist content:

1. Non-normal and emergency checklists must contain each sequential step of an FAA-approved procedure found in the AFM or RFM. POIs must contact the applicable Aircraft Evaluation Group (AEG) and obtain concurrence before approving the deletion of an item or the rearrangement/modification of items in these checklists.

FAA Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) 06019, states, in part:

SUBJECT: Functional Test of the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) Prior to the First Flight of the Day 

PURPOSE: This SAFO emphasizes the importance of operators ensuring they have procedures and training for the functional test of the CVR.

BACKGROUND: Accident investigations have revealed that some of the CVRs in use by the operators are not being tested in accordance with the Aircraft Flight Manual, which would have shown them to be either malfunctioning or inoperative prior to the first flight of the day.

DISCUSSION: The importance of performing the functional test of a CVR prior to the first flight of the day is not only required, but essential to providing an accident investigation tool in case of a mishap or accident.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: All Directors of Operations and Chief Pilots should ensure that all training requirements for testing of CVRs are emphasized during initial and recurrent training. All pilots of aircraft equipped with a CVR should test the function of the CVR before the first flight of each day as part of an approved aircraft checklist.

Flight recorders

The airplane was not equipped nor was it required to be equipped with a flight data recorder (FDR).

Although the airplane was equipped with a Fairchild A100S solid-state cockpit voice recorder (SSCVR), the last audio recorded was from May 15, 2015.

Medical and Pathological Information

To date, the remains of the pilot and the two additional crewmembers have not been located; therefore, no pathological or toxicology information exists. At the time of the pilot's last medical examination, no concerns were reported by the pilot and no significant issues were identified by the medical examiner.

Organizational and Management Information

Guardian Flight LLC was a 14 CFR Part 135 air operator that held on-demand operations specifications. The company headquarters was located in South Jordan, Utah. At the time of the accident, the president, director of operations, chief pilot, and director of maintenance all were based in South Jordan, Utah. The company was operating about 60 airplanes, of which 10 were Raytheon Aircraft Company B200.

 







































Patrick Coyle


Location: Kake, AK
Accident Number: ANC19FA012
Date & Time: 01/29/2019, 1811 AKS
Registration: N13LY
Aircraft: Beech 200
Injuries: 3 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Business - Air Medical (Unspecified) 

On January 29, 2019, about 1811 Alaska standard time, a twin-engine, turbine-powered Raytheon Aircraft Company (formerly Beech Aircraft Corporation) B200 airplane, N13LY, is presumed destroyed after impacting the waters of Frederick Sound following a loss of control while on approach to Kake Airport (PAFE), Kake, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by Guardian Flight as an instrument flight rules (IFR) air ambulance flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 when the accident occurred. The airline transport pilot, flight paramedic, and flight nurse who was 27 weeks pregnant are presumed fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the destination airport, and company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight departed Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (PANC), Anchorage, Alaska, about 1604 destined for PAFE.

A preliminary review of archived voice communication information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) contained the following verbal exchange between the radar controller at Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) and the accident flight as it maneuvered for the area navigation (RNAV) runway 11 approach to the airport:

At 1806:07 ARTCC: "Medevac three lima yankee cross CEMGA at or above seven-thousand you're cleared for the RNAV runway 11 approach to Kake Airport."

At 1806:11 N13LY: "CEMGA at or above seven-thousand cleared for the RNAV 11 for King Air three lima yankee."

At 1807:43 N13LY: "Three lima yankee CEMGA inbound."

At 1807:45 ARTCC: "Three lima yankee roger change to advisory frequency approved."

At 1807:48 N13LY: "OK we're switching good day."

There were no further communications with the accident flight.

A preliminary review of archived FAA radar data revealed that the accident airplane crossed the CEMGA waypoint on the RNAV runway 11 approach at an altitude of about 7,000 ft above mean sea level (msl), then turned northeast and crossed the ZOLKO initial approach fix about 5,000 ft msl. The airplane then initiated a gradual descent and continued northeast toward the JOJOE intermediate fix. About 1810, while the flight was between ZOLKO and JOJOE, the airplane entered a right turn toward a southerly heading and began a rapid descent, losing about 2,575 ft of altitude in 14 seconds. The last radar data point was at 1810:36 when the airplane was at 1,300 ft msl and heading 143° with a ground speed of 174 knots.


Excerpt RNAV (GPS) RWY 11 Approach PAFE.

During a telephone conversation with the NTSB investigator-in-charge, a witness located at PAFE reported that she had driven up early to meet the airplane and observed that the pilot-controlled runway lighting system illuminated about 1809. After about 10 minutes, when the airplane failed to arrive, she contacted Guardian Flight to inquire about the overdue airplane.

An alert notice (ALNOT) was issued by the FAA at 1845, and an extensive search was launched. Search operations were conducted by personnel from the United States Coast Guard, Petersburg Search and Rescue, Alaska State Troopers, Kake Search and Rescue, Alaska Marine Highway Ferries, and numerous Good Samaritans.

On January 30, airplane debris was located about 22 miles west of Kake floating on the surface of the water near Point Gardner in Chatham Strait.

The airplane was equipped with a cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and a Dukane DK-100 underwater beacon. Search and recovery efforts continue, and a detailed wreckage examination and CVR audition is pending following recovery.

The closest weather reporting facility is at PAFE, about 20 miles east of the presumed accident site. At 1756, a PAFE aviation routine weather report (METAR) reported wind from 100° at 6 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, light rain, broken clouds at 1,500 ft and 2,500 ft, overcast clouds at 5,500 ft, temperature 36° F, dew point 34° F, and altimeter 29.95 inHG.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Beech
Registration: N13LY
Model/Series: 200 B200
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: Guardian Flight LLC
Operating Certificate(s) Held: On-demand Air Taxi (135) 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site:
Condition of Light: Night
Observation Facility, Elevation: PAFE
Observation Time: 0256 UTC
Distance from Accident Site: 18 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 2°C / 1°C
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 6 knots / , 100°
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 1500 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 29.95 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Departure Point: Anchorage, AK (PANC)
Destination: Kake, AK (PAFE) 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 3 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 3 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 56.995000, -134.467222



Margaret Langston Allen




An extended Inishowen family has been “left devastated” by an Alaskan air tragedy, which has claimed the life of their cousin, air ambulance pilot, Patrick Coyle (63).

Two of Mr. Coyle's colleagues, flight nurse, Stacie Rae Morse (30) and flight paramedic, Margaret Langston Allen (43) also perished in the accident.

According to the Alaskan Coast Guard, Patrick’s Beech B200 Super King Air took off from Anchorage (south-central Alaska) on Tuesday past, to fly to Kake, on the northwest coast of Kupreanof Island (south-eastern Alaska.)

However, the plane failed to arrive at its destination at the expected time of 6:19 pm that evening and was subsequently reported missing.

Speaking to Donegal Now, Mary Lyttle, one of Patrick’s cousins, said the whole family has been “left devastated” by the tragedy.

Mary said: “We just can’t believe Patrick has gone. He was so full of life. He used to phone me every other week and he always had a story or a joke. He was very close to his whole family.

“He kept in touch with his cousins in Inishowen and in the US. He always had a big smile on his face. All I can hope for now is that Patrick’s remains and those of his colleagues are found, so that the families can have some closure.

“The Coast Guard called off the search for survivors on Friday past. They are now searching for the plane’s flight recorder, to try and find out what happened. Apparently, it beeps for four weeks after a crash.

“The Coast Guard also found aircraft debris the day after the crash, but they have not yet confirmed whether it belongs to Patrick’s plane or not. Patrick was a very experienced pilot. He flew for the Navy and later for Customs and Excise. He had lived in many places including the Virgin Islands, but he moved to Alaska nine years ago and described the community as being like “another family” he had settled in so well. He loved working for Guardian Flight,” said Mary.

The tragedy has been compounded by the fact that flight nurse, Stacie Rae Morse was seven months pregnant and flight paramedic, Margaret Langston Allen had just got married in September past.

Patrick’s father Owen Coyle (95) had just returned to the States after a visit to Inishowen. Owen emigrated from the home house in Burnfoot’s Brae Road, to the US in 1947 and now lives in Lansdale, Philadelphia.

Owen’s sisters, Patrick’s aunts, remained in Inishowen. Bridie McCallion lives in Buncrana and Mary Doherty (Mary Lyttle’s mum) lives in Burnfoot. His brothers, Patrick’s uncles, Paddy and James Coyle live in Derry.

Patrick’s mother, Katie (deceased) was originally from Toombridge. According to Mary, Katie’s brother, Patrick’s uncle, Tommy Joe Johnston, also lives in the States. He also has an uncle, Hugh Johnston from Portstewart, who owns the Railway Bar in Coleraine.

Mary said: “Patricks sisters, Kathleen, Mary Ellen and Betty Anne and his brothers, Michael, John, Brian, Owen and twin Billy have all returned home from Alaska.”

https://www.donegalnow.com

Hundreds of Juneau residents turnout February 1st, 2019, in 8F degree weather for a candlelight vigil at Mayor Bill Overstreet Park for the Guardian medical flight crew that went missing this week. 


As a cold wind swept down Gastineau Channel on Friday night, hundreds of people braved the conditions to pay their respects to those who were on board a medevac plane that went missing en route to Kake earlier in the week.

The crowd gathered around the whale statue at Mayor Bill Overstreet Park as friends and family spoke about Patrick Coyle, Stacie Rae Morse and Margaret Langston Allen. Margaret’s father Gene looked out at a couple hundred Juneauites clutching electric candles and expressed his gratitude.

“Margaret was special to us, as apparently she was to you guys too, to see this crowd,” he said.

The vigil began at 6 p.m., and concluded with a moment of silence at 6:19 p.m. The timing was important, and carefully planned out. The Guardian Flight plane was supposed to land in Kake at 6:19 p.m. Tuesday. The flight, which was coming from Anchorage, never arrived. The U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies searched for the ensuing 63 hours before suspending the search at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

Photos of Coyle, 63, Morse, 30, and Allen, 43, leaned up against a dais as Alaska Police and Fire Chaplain Diane Peterson moderated the event. There were tears at many points, from those speaking and those listening. There was also laughter, though, as people shared funny anecdotes and thoughts about the trio.

Erin San Angelo, Morse’s close friend, pointed out that there was a fourth person aboard that flight — Morse’s unborn baby, Delta Rae.

“I’d never seen her so happy in her life,” San Angelo said of Morse. “All she wanted to be was a mother.”

San Angelo wore Morse’s jacket as she spoke, saying it felt good to be wrapped up in her friend’s coat. Her talk kept coming back around to Delta Rae, and about how excited Morse was for the future.

Many of the friends and family came from out of state to be in Juneau during the search and for the vigil. Some of them thanked Guardian Flight for supporting them through the week.

Coyle’s brother Billy said during the vigil that the hospitality has impressed him.

“Now we know why my brother Pat loved it up here so much,” Billy said. “The place is beautiful, and the people are even better.”

In the day leading up to the event, people in the aviation and nursing communities sent emails and texts and Facebook posts to make sure as many people could get there as possible.

Juneau resident Katie Kowalchuk was among them. She didn’t know any of the people aboard the plane, but her husband Sam Steensland is a pilot who met Coyle through work. Though she didn’t have a personal connection to any of them, she said it was important for the full community to come together.

“It’s a small community and I think it’s so important that everyone’s coming together, and it’s so healing,” Kowalchuk said.

For those in attendance, particularly Morse’s family and friends, they wanted that healing process to be reflective of those being remembered. San Angelo found a band called Delta Rae and played an acoustic song called “No Peace In Quiet,” which is about trying to move on after loss.

After that song, it was time to send Morse off in style. They played Whitesnake’s “Here I Go Again,” which Morse’s father Tim said would get Morse fired up when she was younger. As the song began, so did a fireworks show just next to the whale statue.

The sky lit up, and attendees stopped in their tracks to watch. San Angelo was up front, her arms spread wide as she took in the show.

She and others cheered as the fireworks created an explosive backdrop for the large statue, finding a little joy together after a week filled with heartbreak.


Original article can be found here ➤  https://www.juneauempire.com



A Coast Guard Air Station Sitka MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew flies over a piece of debris spotted by Alaska Wildlife Troopers while searching for three people aboard an overdue Guardian Life Flight aircraft 20 miles west of Kake, January 30th, 2019. 



A search has been suspended for the medevac plane that vanished over Southeast Alaska with three crew members on board.

The U.S. Coast Guard announced, on Thursday evening, that they were calling off the search for the Guardian Flight air ambulance that was due to land in Kake on Tuesday night but never arrived.

Coast Guard conducted aerial and maritime searches for 63 hours over the course of three days. They continued those efforts late into Thursday afternoon with the cutters Anacapa and Bailey Barco, as well as crews from Air Station Sitka and Air Station Kodiak, Search and Rescue teams from Kake and surrounding communities and volunteers. Together, they scoured 240 square nautical miles in an area 20 miles west of Kake.

Chief Charly Hengen, public affairs specialist for the Coast Guard, confirmed that the debris found on Wednesday appeared to be from the Guardian Flight, but said that no other debris was found over the course of their three-day effort. That was one of several factors that led the Coast Guard to call off the search.

“I think the weather was going to become pretty severe over the next few days. That could have been taken into consideration,” Hengen said. “The extensive amount of time and the saturation of the search area that we did. Plus they were not able to locate any other debris.”

Original story

A third day of searching for a Beech B200 Super King Air Medevac plane that vanished Tuesday over Southeast Alaska has yielded no sign of the three crew members aboard.

U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. Michael Kahl said efforts by Coast Guard ships and aircraft have been ongoing day and night. Local rescuers have also been combing nearby beaches.

“We’re focused right now on finding survivors,” Kahl told reporters Thursday in Juneau. “With the incoming weather, we’re throwing all of the resources right now to that effect. We will continue to search either until we have found them, or we are comfortable that we have given the best effort to locate them in that search area.”

Freezing temperatures and high winds are forecast in the search area around the community of Kake, where the Guardian Flight air ambulance was due at 6:19 p.m. Tuesday.

Floating debris was found the next day in the search area about 22 miles west of Kake.

Guardian Flight Senior Vice President of Operations Randy Lyman released a statement Wednesday:

“While the Coast Guard and others continue the search for the missing Guardian Flight aircraft off the coast of Alaska, the debris found by searchers unfortunately gives us a very strong indication that it was our airplane. While search and rescue efforts are continuing in an attempt to find survivors, we are resigned to accept that the aircraft was ours. On board were Pilot Patrick Coyle, 63, Flight Nurse Stacie Rae Morse, 30, and Flight Paramedic Margaret Langston, 43, all based in Juneau. (Margaret was earlier identified as Margaret Langston Allen, but we have been informed by her family that she was recently married, and her last name is now Langston.) We continue to ask for everyone’s prayers and support as we focus on families, crew members and the entire Guardian Flight team and extended family of all those involved.”

Kahl said the National Transportation Safety Board will examine the debris being held in Kake.

“We located what appears to be a piece of the wing just north and west of the last known position of the aircraft,” Kahl said. “We now have that wing in our possession and are holding it for the NTSB.”

The Coast Guard commander said this search effects many in the close-knit community of first responders.

“Southeast Alaska is a very small community. We’re all very close here,” Kahl said. “We know the three passengers on board are friends and neighbors. We focus all of our energy on every search we do, but this one is particularly personal for us.”

The trio had left Anchorage and were bound for Kake to Medevac a patient from the community’s clinic.

Their plane never arrived, and signals from its electronic locating transmitter haven’t been detected. Kahl said the patient was later flown by another carrier.

Guardian’s operations in Alaska remained suspended Thursday afternoon pending more information on its missing plane and crew.

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