Alaska plane goes down

August 14, 2011
By: Staff Sgt. N. Alicia Goldberger &
Kalei Rupp

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON – The Alaska Air National Guard rescued four people from a crashed Cessna 207 carrying six individuals about 37 miles west of McGrath on Aug. 14.

The 11th Air Force Rescue Coordination Center received notification from the Alaska State Troopers around 9:45 p.m. Saturday of an overdue aircraft with SPOT locator coordinates placing it outside of McGrath. In addition, the RCC received reports of an emergency locator transmitter signal around the same time.

A 211th Rescue Squadron HC-130 Hercules with three “Guardian Angels” from the 212th Rescue Squadron on board left Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson at 1:24 a.m. to conduct an initial search to locate the aircraft.

Rescue efforts throughout the night were hampered by poor weather. The HC-130 was unable to get below the cloud cover and returned to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson at 6:10 a.m.

As soon as weather permitted, a 210th Rescue Squadron HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter carrying two 212th Guardian Angels and a 211th HC-130 with three Guardian Angels launched around 9 a.m.

The crash site was visually spotted from the air and located in steep terrain in a wooded area. Two Guardian Angels arrived on site via a helicopter hoist. The other three Guardian Angels jumped from the HC-130 into a field nearby and were then picked up by the Pave Hawk and taken to the crash site where they also used the hoist to get on ground.

The six people on the Cessna were taken to McGrath, where two were released to Alaska State Troopers. Four were brought to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson at 2:36 p.m. via the 211th Rescue Squadron HC-130 Hercules, then transported to an Anchorage hospital.
 
Does released to Alaska State Troopers mean that two died? The AP report was that 4 survived and two did not.
 
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