Alaska Air National Guard rescues three from downed plane

Photo By Maj. Bernie Kale | An Alaska Air National Guard HH-60 Pave Hawk, from the 210th Rescue Squadron, performs a simulated search and rescue pattern in Alaska. The 210th Rescue Squadron is part of a network of search-and-rescue organizations that save hundreds of lives in and around Alaska every year. This network includes not only the 210th's sister squadrons in the 176th Wing, but also such agencies as the U.S. Coast Guard, the Alaska State Troopers, the National Park Service, the Civil Air Patrol and others. Other 210th missions include non-combat search and rescue.  

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, AK, UNITED STATES

09.13.2014

Story by Kalei Rupp 

Alaska National Guard Public Affairs   

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — The Alaska Air National Guard rescued three people from a downed aircraft Sept. 13 west of Beluga Mountain, Alaska.

The Alaska Rescue Coordination Center opened the mission after receiving notification around 1:30 p.m. that a 406 emergency locator transmitter had been activated. The Alaska RCC was able to get registration information from the beacon and confirm that it belonged to a Piper Super Cub that took off from Anchorage and was flying near Beluga Mountain.

The Alaska Air National Guard accepted the mission to search for the aircraft in possible distress and launched an HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter from the 210th Rescue Squadron with a Guardian Angel team from the 212th Rescue Squadron from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

“The crew flew directly to the coordinates transmitted from the 406, which was approximately 1.2 miles away from the aircraft; they searched for about one minute, located the downed aircraft and rescued the three people who had been onboard,” said Capt. John Romspert, a combat rescue officer and senior controller with the Alaska RCC.

The Guardsmen flew the three people to Providence Medical Center in Anchorage where they were released shortly after 5 p.m. in good condition with no reported injuries.

The 210th and 212th Rescue Squadrons were awarded three saves for this mission.

• Date Taken: 09.13.2014
• Date Posted: 09.15.2014 14:02
• Story ID: 142188
• Location: JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, AK, US