Shasta Composite Squadron 126 - Civil Air Patrol
The ELT signal was coming from somewhere near Willits. CAP Flight 480, the Redding Squadron's Cessna 182 crewed by Capt. Bill Duval (pilot), 1Lt Suann Prigmore (Observer) and 2Lt Jim Ward (Scanner) flew to the Willits airport and landed to DF it on the ground. But they could not get a signal at the airport. They took off again and quickly DF'd it to an area to the south of the Willits airport and in the vicinity of four garbage trailers.
They flew back to Willits airport, landed and borrowed a pickup to drive back to the garbage trailers. After some judicious moving of each trailer by the owner they isolated it to a 20 ton trailer which was - you guessed it - full of garbage!
Then the most difficult and dangerous aspect of the mission was discussed - who would draw the short straw to go dumpster diving for the ELT? Well the dilemma was solved when they decided to delegate the problem upwards. They arranged with the garbage trailer's owner for him to take the trailer to where he would normally dispose of the contents - a landfill that just happened to be located close to the residence of Major Jan Ostrat , near Travis AFB! They decided to let him worry about it. Hell - that's why he gets the big bucks isn't it?
As it turned out the signal went
silent once the trailer was moved and did not go active again.
The photos below tell the story.
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Capt. Duval determining direction of signal from Willits airport. |
Capt. Duval and 2Lt Jim Ward -we're getting closer! |
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It's in one of these trailers!!!
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1Lt Suan Prigmore - "Which darn trailer is it in anyway!"
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Well it's not in there! |
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Calling for reinforcements |
I'll work the DF - you search through the trash! |
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Sweetalking the driver into moving the offending trailer to Jan Ostrat's place. |
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