Mission Report
Mission #02M1192
June 3, 2002
Ankeny Area ELT Search
Submitted by
LTC Chuck McDonald
At approximately 1900 local time, Col Russ Smith, Incident Commander, contacted LTC
Chuck McDonald, Des Moines Squadron Commander. Col Smith reported that SARSAT hits of an
Emergency Locator Transmitter signal had been verified over three SARSAT
passes in a longitude/latitude position about 10 - 15 miles East/Southeast of
the Ankeny Regional Airport. One pass indicated the location was just north
of Altoona but south of Bondurant and the other hits placed the position of
the ELT south of Altoona near the town of Runnells, Iowa. The Des Moines
Squadron thus was assigned an ELT search mission.
McDonald then began calling to line up an available mission pilot, performing
himself as mission observer. Capt Ray Rusek was reached and CAP
aircraft N98776, a C-172 operating as CAP Flight 1376, was launched about 2015
hours from the Ankeny Airport. The aircraft proceeded east using Direction
Finding (DF) equipment directly to the closest reported hit. Once in
position and maneuvering over the possible target area, it became clear that
the source of the ELT signal was west of the SARSAT reported position. CAPFLT
1376 then homed in on a signal which originated west of Altoona, with
subsequent maneuvers showing the signal source position most likely to be on
the Ankeny airport. Therefore, CAPFLT 1376 returned to the Ankeny
airport and landed.
McDonald and Rusek secured a handheld radio and began a ramp search for the signal source,
starting with the large maintenance hanger with its open east-facing bifold doors. Once in the hanger, and going aircraft to aircraft, the
signal strength was determined to be strongest in the vicinity of a Beech King Air twin engine aircraft.
The ELT was located in the aircraft and was determined to be in an "armed and
ON" position.
The arming switch was moved to the "OFF" position at approximately 2130
hours which shut down the signal.
This action successfully closed the mission. It was later learned that the ELT was tested earlier that day by a mechanic performing maintenance on the
King Air. Rusek and McDonald received credit for a "Non-Distress Find".
A post-mission evaluation of events led the crew to conclude that the metal
hangar and its open doors caused the radiating ELT signal to be reflected
or directed in an easterly direction, causing the misplaced SARSAT hits and the
initial misleading and ambiguous DF indications.
