The View Is Askew: September 2010

On 27 Sept 1996, a Memorial was dedicated on behalf of the 24 men that fatefully lost their lives aboard Aircraft 0354, Callsign Yukla 27, assigned to the 962 AACS. The memorial is surrounded by 24 Spruce trees, one for every member aboard the aircraft--their humanity. 24 bronze cast name plaques adorn the wall, one for each Airman--their professionalism. The E-3B AWACS replica is mounted in a climbing left hand turn, Yukla 27's takeoff that day--their mission. Both the U.S. and Canadian Flags are raised high--our nations share their loss. Yukla, from Tanaina Indian dialect meaning Eagle, the callsign of all Alaskan AWACS aircraft. ...He will lift them up and they will soar on wings like eagles.

Yukla 27 Memorial, Elmendorf AFB, AK

22 Sept 1995 will forever be remembered as a day of mourning for a tight-knit and very close community of family and aviators. That fateful morning, 24 men of the 962 AACS boarded an AWACS at Elemendorf AFB, AK for what should have been a “standard flight/mission.” Yet, shortly after V1 (point of no return on takeoff/takeoff decision speed), the starboard side engines suffered a catastrophic bird strike. Yukla 27 entered into a slow climb to the left and the aircraft impacted the hills approximately one mile from the departure end of the runway. All 24 crewmembers instantly perished.

The Air Force Accident Investigation Board concluded that the accident “was directly caused by the ingestion of geese into engines number one and two. Two other factors substantially contributed to the accident of which the 3d Wing Leadership lacked an aggressive program to detect and deter the geese—what is commonly known as Bird Air Strike Hazard Program (BASH) and that the Control Tower might have prevented the accident if “sound judgment” were used. Nevertheless, 15 years later, many remembered the event, the lives lost, and the great memories we all shared with those American and Canadian men.

Memories. How do you memorialize 24 men who inevitably paid America’s and Canada’s Ultimate Sacrifice? Sure, memorials have been created there and abroad, but it’s the thoughts, prayers, and words that people write in their honor. I find it amazing that 15 years post-accident, the memories are as clear as what I did 5 minutes ago. We all recall where we were at the moment we received the news of the accident and the special moments shared with each one of those men. Some call them "heroes or patriots," in the end though, they are sons, brothers, fathers, friends and most of all God's men. If you noticed, I do not use the past tense--regardless of living or deceased, you are still each one of those, especially to the families of those men. They never become "he was my son, he was my brother, he was my father, or he was my friend." They are and always will be in the present. They still live. They live in our hearts and our memories, they never left us.

Below are excerpts of those “memories” taken from around the web (There are quite a few). Before I begin to list the “memories,” please say a prayer to those families who also suffered losses in the aftermath of the "Sitka 43" C-17 accident that occurred 28 July 10. Four Airmen perished doing what they loved most—it is rumored that the crew crashed near Yukla 27’s accident site.

Join www.afblues.com to see more great depictions

I was flying a mission with NATO AWACS the day this happened and our RO tuned in BBC when the crew we were relieving on station in the Adriatic asked us if we had heard anything. Our whole crew listened for hours as BBC started broadcasting information as they received it. I knew several of the crew and will never forget them!!

~CH, 24 Sept 10

It is comforting to us in Montréal to read from all of you on this site. The National Air Force Museum of Canada will be remembering the two Canadian crew members this week end in Trenton, Ontario. Thanks to an American visitor who asked for the names of David Pitcher and my brother Jean-Pierre Legault to be remembered during a ceremony. I will certainly mention this page to our family and friends attending.

~ML, 22 Sept 10

To my brother Steve.....thinking of you....miss you and love you always......so hard to believe that it has been 15 years now....you are always in our hearts.....

~LTW, 22 Sept 10

Thank you for starting this page. I also located it during a search as the anniversary approaches. My brother, SSGT. Scott Bresson, was lost to us that day, but lives always in our memories, deeply loved and painfully missed.

~SH, 14 Sept 10

Every time I make peanut butter cookies I think of BK asking me to bring more of them in to work the next day, he said they were the best ones he ever ate.

~CCH, 22 Sept 10

I still miss Chuck, Scott, and all the guys so very much......tough memories.

~RBH, 09 Jan 10

I was TDY to Tinker for the flight manuals review conference when it happened. The week before, Mark Collins had asked me to go in his place so he could be in town for some family that were coming to town. I miss them all, but I think of Mark most. I wish I still had his guidance today.

~CG, 27 Sept 09

At 0747 this morning, please remember Yukla 27. Those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. 24 Men lost, memories not.

~CK, 22 Sept 10

I look at Darby's picture every day and never forget my boy DeFran.

~JP, 22 Sept 10

RIP to the crew! And love to their loved ones

~LT, 20 Sept 10

RIP Josh and crew grateful to at least have met you!!

~JM, 20 Sept 10

Amn Smith was one of my students at the TRS when I was going thru instructor upgrade. Great kid and so young at the time. The ultimate sacrifice my friend. God Bless those that serve.

~JB, 08 Sept 10

Went to Saudi with Defran on his last trip there before he went up to Elmendorf. I'll never forget talking to him about Alaska and telling him that "he'd love it up there"....

~JC, 08 Sept 10

I remember going to a few ball games with DW and a few of the other ASTs...good times at the stadium and then in Bricktown...They're all still sorely missed...

~CL, 08 Sept 10

CDMT was my first supervisor at the 963d, great dude, knew quite a few of those guys, RIP bros.

~BN, 09 Sept 10

He was a CDMT instructor and knew his stuff well. I was flying a mission over Florida that day when we got the news...RIP guys

~EM, 09 Sept 10

Josh Weter (CDMT) was a dear friend of mine. Several years ago I created a memorial webpage as a tribute to all those who perished in the accident.

~DB, 09 Sept 10

I'll never forget that day, I was in Saudi, sitting on a bus outside of the admin building on Eskon, getting ready to head out to the jet, when they told us what happend. Said we didn't have to fly that day if we didn't want to, but we all knew we needed to for them. They will never be forgotten!

~SK, 10 Sept 10

I was flying that day, we were doing a spouse flight when it cam eover the radio. I still have Darby P rrin's painting hanging over my mantel. Family always in our prayers

~TA, 20 Sept 10

Very hard to belive that was 15 years ago, always in our prayers........

~MS, 15 Sept 10

Hard to believe that was 15 years ago...RIP Yukla

~BS, 15 Sept 10

A little tribute true and tender. Just to show that we remember.  Time may pass and fade away but memories of you will always stay. Miss you still Josh!

~JW, 22 Sept 09

Think of the ones we lost all the time. I lost two friends, Robert "Cowboy" Long and Carlos A. I pray for all the families and friends of those we lost.

~KDH, 30 May 09

Dave, you are a great man with an outstanding sense of humor. We all miss your presense. We had a lot of good times buddy

~PL, 25 Mar 09

I was a Master Corporal teaching at the AWC&Cs controller school in North Bay and looking forward to a Tinker posting when I heard about the news. I will greatly miss Dave Pitcher, a close friend and colleague. My thoughts go out to everyone lost and who lost that day.

~DG, 25 Mar 09

We were flying off the Florida coast when we got the news.....it was a long drive back to Tinker. I ended up PCS'ing to Elmendorf to replace one of the two FE's lost in the crash. I was on the static crew for the one year memorial of the crash....wasn't a good day. May God be with the families of those who gave all!

~BG, 23 Mar 09

I believe that everyone who has ever flown in AWACS should visit the crashsite. It is not only sobering but also a realization of how fragile our lives are and how strong we should keep our friendships. Those 24 heroes should never leave our minds each and every day.

~DJ, 19 Mar 09

There are probably thousands more memories, thoughts and prayers waiting to be posted. I will forever miss my friends and think of the 24 for the rest of my life.

Below you will find an excerpt of the transmission, photos of the 24 crewmembers and links to websites throughout the internet related to Yukla 27.

0745:29 RDO-TWR: Yukla two seven heavy, the wind three one zero at one one, cleared for takeoff Runway five. Traffic is a C-130 three miles north of Elmendorf northwest-bound, climbing out of two thousand.0745:3 CAM: [light switches]0745:39 AC?: In sight.0745:41 RDO-CP: And Yukla two seven heavy cleared for takeoff, traffic in sight.
0745:44 CP: Cleared for takeoff, crew.
0745:45 FE: *check complete.
0745:45 CAM: [Engines spool up]
0745:47 AC: Engineer, set takeoff power.
0745:49 CAM: [Engines spool up]
0746:09 CP: Eighty knots, copilot's aircraft.
0746:11 AC: Your airplane.
0746:20 AC: V 1 .
0746:28 AC: Rotate.
0746:28 CP: All the birds.
0746:31 FE: Lotta birds here.
0746:33 AC: # we took one.
0746:36 CP: What do I got?
0746:37 FE?: We took two of 'em.
0746:37 AC: We got two motors.
0746:37 FE: Flight start.
0746:38 CP: Roger that.
0746:40 AC: Take me to override.
0746:41 CP: Go to override on, on the ...
0746:43 RDO-CP: Elmendorf tower, Yukla two seven heavy has an emergency. Lost ah number two engine, we've taken some birds.
0746:44 St5: You're in override.
0746:4 St5: There's the rudder.
0746:46 FE: Got it.
0746:47 St5: You're in override.
0746:48 AC: Thank you.
0746:49 FE: Starting dump fuel.
0746:51 AC: Start dumping.
0746:52 RDO-TWR: Yukla two seven heavy, roger. Say intentions.
0746:55 CAM: [Stick shaker activates, continues until impact]
0746:56 RDO-CP: Yukla zero two heavy's coming back around for an emergency return.
0746:58 CP: Lower the nose, lower the nose, lower the nose.
0747:00 RDO-TWR: Two seven heavy, roger.
0747:00 AC: Goin' down.
0747:02 CP?: Oh my God.
0747:02 AC: Oh #.
0747:04 CP: OK, give it all you got, give it all you got.
0747:06 RDO-CP: Two seven heavy, emergency.
0747:09 RDO-W1: Roll the crash, roll the crash.
0747:10 CAM: [PA tone]
0747:11 CP: Crash (landing)
0747:11 AC: We're goin' in.
0747:11 AC: We're going down.