Go Back  Airline Pilot Central Forums > Pilot Lounge > Safety
Missing Arkansas forestry pilot >

Missing Arkansas forestry pilot

Search
Notices
Safety Accidents, suggestions on improving safety, etc

Missing Arkansas forestry pilot

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 02-01-2014, 03:14 PM
  #1  
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
 
JRJ57's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Dec 2009
Position: B77FO
Posts: 105
Default Missing Arkansas forestry pilot

http://www.katv.com/story/24604609/forestry-pilot-fails-to-check-in-with-central-dispatch




Officials said 34-year-old Jake Harrell was last heard from by AFC Dispatch at 1:11 p.m. Friday afternoon.

North Little Rock Police Department spokesman Sergeant Brian Dedrick said Harrell had been with the department for six months before the military called him to active duty. He said Harrell has since been serving with the Arkansas Air National Guard 188th Fighter Wing for the last 18 months.  

Searchers are continuing to look for Harrell on the ground and by air.  

The plane was flying a standard detection route through west Arkansas, locating possible wildfires and relaying GPS coordinates back to Central Dispatch. Pilots check in every thirty minutes as a safety practice on all flights.

A command center has been set up in Mena to find Harrell. The Forestry Commission, U.S. Forest Service, Polk and Montgomery County deputies, Arkansas Game and Fish, Arkansas National Guard, Arkansas State Police, Civil Air Patrol and Emergency Management crews have joined in the search. 

"We are using every resource available to locate the whereabouts of our missing pilot. We will focus today on the areas closest to his last known location and possible spots west and south of that point. Thank you to everyone sending prayers and support," said AFC Investigator and scene Incident Commander, Billy Black.

Sgt. Dedrick said the NLR Police Department's prayers are with Harrell's family as crews continue to work on the search and recovery effort.  

Stay with KATV News and KATV.com for more information on this developing story as it becomes available.  

 



Please keep him in your prayers for a safe return home.
JRJ57 is offline  
Old 02-01-2014, 04:24 PM
  #2  
Gets Weekends Off
 
USMCFLYR's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: FAA 'Flight Check'
Posts: 13,837
Default

Sad to hear. Some dense forest on that part of the state.
Hope they find him soon.
USMCFLYR is offline  
Old 02-01-2014, 04:33 PM
  #3  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Nov 2009
Position: still here...
Posts: 226
Default

Is this like a bird dog mission in a C-90 or something like they do up in Canada for the tanker drivers or was he in something smaller?

-M
mosteam3985 is offline  
Old 02-02-2014, 01:35 PM
  #4  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: May 2011
Position: 737 CA
Posts: 949
Default

Sad to hear that...hope they find him soon.

Do these guys run pretty low to the ground? Seems like higher would be better for the initial spotting. A lot of forest out there though.
DirectTo is offline  
Old 02-02-2014, 01:55 PM
  #5  
Gets Weekends Off
 
USMCFLYR's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: FAA 'Flight Check'
Posts: 13,837
Default

Posted on the Arkansas Department of Forestry FB page about 40 minutes ago.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...52189592314929
USMCFLYR is offline  
Old 02-02-2014, 10:23 PM
  #6  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Aviator89's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Oct 2013
Posts: 292
Default

Hope he is ok, and hope they find him soon.
A navajo went missing between minneapolis and Duluth a few years ago. Because the similarly dense wooded areas along the route, they have yet to find the aircraft.
Aviator89 is offline  
Old 02-03-2014, 06:49 AM
  #7  
Gets Weekends Off
 
USMCFLYR's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: FAA 'Flight Check'
Posts: 13,837
Default

Pilot scouting Arkansas forest fires goes missing, search ensues - latimes.com

Some one asked about the aircraft.
This article reports it was a C-210.
USMCFLYR is offline  
Old 02-11-2014, 05:59 PM
  #8  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Dec 2012
Posts: 480
Default

The wreckage and pilot remains were found today. There is not even speculation at this point about what happened.
JohnnyG is offline  
Old 02-12-2014, 04:50 AM
  #9  
Gets Weekends Off
 
USMCFLYR's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: FAA 'Flight Check'
Posts: 13,837
Default

Glad to hear they found the airplane and pilot.
I had looked at their website on Monday and saw that they were still looking.
At least the family and friends can have some measure of closure.
USMCFLYR is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
benzoate
Major
20
10-23-2013 10:05 AM
bigtime209
PSA Airlines
194
09-30-2013 11:45 AM
Time2Fly
Corporate
38
08-11-2010 09:17 PM
TPROP4ever
GoJet
322
11-24-2008 08:45 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On



Your Privacy Choices