Mission Report
Mission #05M0960
June 11, 2005
Missing Person Search
Submitted by Capt. Kim Kirschman

Saturday morning at about 0340 local time I received a call from Col Ralph Tomlinson, wing commander, requesting that I assemble a crew for a missing person search mission.  Lt Don Wood (scanner) and Maj Chuck Lord (observer) responded to my calls and were soon enroute to the Ankeny airport.  By 0500, the search aircraft, CPF 1376, was preflighted, a weather briefing obtained and instrument flight plan filed, and the crew briefed on the mission.  According to the information provided by Col Tomlinson, a one-car accident had occurred overnight and the driver had not been located.  We were to search for the individual, beginning the search along and either side of the highway running north from the Carroll airport to the small town of Lidderdale.  The plan was to fly directly from Ankeny to the Carroll airport, then fly the assigned route.  Because ceilings in the Carroll area at the time of departure were reported as 200 feet, the flight was initially conducted under instrument flight rules.

Takeoff occurred at 0515.  The Carroll airport was reached at approximately 0600.  By the time we arrived in the Carroll area, the overcast had lifted to several thousand feet and was not a factor in flying or the search. For the next hour we searched road right-of-ways, adjacent fields, fencelines, and various streams and creeks.  Private vehicles were observed being driven along road shoulders, presumably also looking for the missing driver.  A line of thunderstorms approaching from the south brought an end to the aerial search at about 0700.  The return flight to Ankeny was uneventful.  Touchdown occurred at 0740, and engine shutdown at 0745.

About an hour later, Col Tomlinson phoned and requested that we return to the search area.  Lt Craig Estep took the place of Maj Lord for this flight.  After concluding the usual briefing and preflighting activities, but prior to engine start, Col Tomlinson again phoned and cancelled the mission.  The reason for the cancellation is best presented in this message from Col Tomlinson: 

"This will be the last update for the Lidderdale, Iowa, missing person.  We have not seen him but friends finally said that he was alright.  That "alright" might be short lived -- he wrecked the company car, he had been drinking, two girls picked him up and took him to a "house".  His company and wife may have something else to say about this.  We had 14 CAP members from Sac City, Ames, and Des Moines participate in this mission.  We flew 2.5 hours before getting chased out by thunderstorms.  Note to the ICs on the east side -- "tag, you're it,"  we are getting tired."

Notes:

1.    The initial reports of low ceilings in the Carroll area caused some early concern about the likelihood of an aerial search.  The ceilings rose quickly, ending that concern, but unforecast storms brought another problem.
2.    CAP radio communications were adequate for the tasks at hand; clear reception simplified reporting and discussion of search options.
3.    Flight time totaled 2.5 hours.
4.    The known but unrepaired problem with the headset jacks in the observer's station was detrimental to the efficiency of the flight.
5.    Iowa Wing personnel involved in the search included Col Ralph Tomlinson, Maj John Halbrook, Capt Anita Elliott,  Capt Roger Elliott, Capt Kim Kirschman, Lt Don Wood,  Maj Chuck Lord, Lt Col Nick Critelli, and C/TSgt Drew Schlosser.