Describes Flight In Similar Conditions To What May Have Downed BK117

It's looking more and more like we'll never know exactly what happened to a Lifeguard Alaska medevac helicopter which went missing 10 days ago while transporting a patient from Cordova to Anchorage. But one helicopter pilot, who now flies air ambulance in California, remembers flying the same route as the missing Alaskan helo, and recently shared his memories of a particularly harrowing day with reporter Jason Moore of KTUU-2 in Anchorage.

Four years ago, Michael Rugg was also working for Lifeguard, and also made a flight to pick up a patient in Cordova. He says he had good weather on the trip out, and the forecast indicated it would hold. But it declined quickly as he neared Prince William Sound.

"About halfway I started noticing there were clouds forming there at the mouth of Passage Canal," Rugg said. That's the area where officials believe the LifeGuard Alaska BK117 crashed during a December 3 medevac mission.

Rugg's story ends better... but it was a harrowing experience. He quickly found himself 50 feet off the water, in a snowstorm, with ice forming on the windshield and nose of the helicopter. Fortunately, he found a beach, landed and waited until the storm passed.

"They praised me for the job I did and I appreciated that. I knew as a pilot I felt bad because I never should have got into that situation," Rugg said.

A memorial service will be held Friday at 1:00 pm at the LifeGuard Alaska hanger for the four people onboard the missing helicopter. The pilot, Lance Brabham, paramedic Cameron Carter and patient Gaye McDowell have not been found.

The body of flight nurse John Stumpff washed up on a beach near Whittier last weekend, along with debris including a sliding door from the helicopter.

As ANN reported, crews suspended their search for the missing helicopter earlier this week.

FMI: www.providence.org/alaska/lifeguard/08contact.htm, www.evergreenaviation.com/EHI/baselist.html