Posted on 11/22/2002 12:01:25 PM PST by honway
BRAGGS -- A Pryor man was killed Monday afternoon when a small experimental aircraft he was flying hit a power line and crashed at Camp Gruber.
Oklahoma National Guard Staff Sgt. Robert Louis Harding, 45, was pronounced dead at 5 p.m. Monday at St. John Medical Center in Tulsa, where he had been transported following the 12:30 p.m. crash.
Oklahoma Highway Patrol Lt. Gary Rogers said Harding's homemade aircraft had been airborne for about one-half mile before clipping the power line and crashing upside down on Central Europe Road.
Col. Charles Frasier, chief of staff of the Oklahoma National Guard, which oversees operations at Camp Gruber, said the Federal Aviation Administration would begin investigating the crash Tuesday morning. Camp Gruber is an Oklahoma National Guard training site.
Harding worked at the Whitaker Education Training Center in Pryor. An employee of Mid-America Aviation in Pryor said Harding was an excellent pilot with more than 20 years flying experience and had at least 100 hours flying time in the light single-engine plane.
The employee, who asked to not be identified, said Harding's plane, while considered experimental, was FAA certified. "My kids have flown with (Harding), a lot of people around here have. I've flown that plane. There was nothing wrong with it," the employee said, adding that he hadn't seen Harding depart Pryor earlier in the day.
Copyright © 2002, World Publishing Co. All rights reserved.
FTW95LA201
On May 15, 1995, at 1230 central daylight time, a Harding 1500-R-Mini-Max, N366RH, was destroyed following a loss of control during takeoff near Braggs, Oklahoma. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries. The local personal flight was being operated under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed.
Witnesses (statements enclosed) reported that at about 1130, the airplane landed on a grass area normally used as a helipad at Camp Gruber (Oklahoma National Guard Training Site). The pilot was a member of the Oklahoma National Guard. Several military personnel talked with the pilot and looked at the airplane. The pilot started the engine, initiated an uphill takeoff roll to the north, and then aborted the takeoff. Several witnesses reported that the airplane didn't have enough speed to takeoff. Subsequently, the pilot reversed the direction of the takeoff and initiated a takeoff to the south in a downhill direction.
Witnesses reported that the pilot "forced" the airplane into the air and maneuvered to clear buildings as the airplane climbed "slowly" to 60 to 75 feet. One witness stated that "the aircraft appeared to be lacking power."
Witnesses observed the airplane flying over the barracks and then up and down prior to entering a left descending turn. The wing hit a powerline wire about 20 feet above the ground as the airplane descended uncontrolled, impacted the terrain and separated into numerous pieces. Witnesses further reported that it didn't "appear" that he was having any control problems. Temperature was 83 degrees Fahrenheit with a calculated density altitude of 2,200 feet.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector reported that the winds were from the south at 3 to 5 knots with a terrain downslope of approximately 10 degrees. Flight control continuity was confirmed, the propeller blades were shattered and the FAA inspector stated that the "aircraft appeared to be producing power on impact." The right wing exhibited physical evidence of a wire strike and one end of the highline cable was pulled loose approximately 20 feet above the ground.
On October 28, 1994, the private pilot/builder was issued the FAA special airworthiness certificate with operating limitations requiring 40 hours of flight test. The pilot logbook showed the first test flight was conducted on November 6, 1994. Logbook entries for December 24, 1994, stated that the "plane has been tested in all areas and is proven safe" and "40 hours has been flown."
Autopsy and toxicology were not performed.
The airplane was released by the FAA to the personnel at Camp Gruber, Oklahoma.
06/14/1997
Washington Post Staff Writer, Richard Leiby
Page A8
"Other Web sites carry photos of a Ryder truck parked at a military installation in Oklahoma, where conspiracy-minded investigators contend the fertilizer bomb was assembled. The Oklahoma National Guard confirmed Friday that the aerial photos were indeed taken above Camp Gruber in the fall of 1994 and said the classified project involved weapons sensors and was overseen by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The National Guard's statement said the truck 'had no association whatsoever with the tragedy at the Alfred P. Murrah Building."
The Oklahoma National Guard confirmed Friday that the aerial photos were indeed taken above Camp Gruber in the fall of 1994 and said the classified project involved weapons sensors and was overseen by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. (view of area on Central Europe Road discussed in Washington Post article)
He had been employed with the Oklahoma Army National Guard Det.1 Company B, 120th Engineering as a facility engineer.
It is clear from the picture that it was taken from the air. The source of the photo is unknown, but it is clear Staff Sgt. Harding spent some time in the air and had a particular interest in this area. From the Washington Post article, it appears the photo is genuine.
That's about all I can conclude from the articles posted here and the photo.
It is not a current event, it is a "News" article. Is there a restriction on posting an old "News" article?
I always wanted one, but they appear to have a mixed history.
Please, fellow Freepers, Do not soil our freedom to fly by building an ugly airplane.
There is always a "Right to Choose"
A beautiful airplane may not be fast, but ugly is always slow.
Have you considered the Titan series?
MiniMax 1500r
No, I am looking for something with least amount of work. I talk to guys working on them and it's the same story, "it's been a year now, but I should have it done in another six months."
This still looks like a good option for me. The report states Sgt. Harding landed this on a helipad and then tried to take off. If that's the case, I don't think I can fault the plane.
You don't need a license for the ultralights, do you? Where goes the FAA draw the line between ultralight aircraft requiring a license and a check out and those that don't?
Van's RV-9
Mine will be the RV-9a trigear model.
I'm a low time pilot (just started) and have worked with metal and not much composite. The RV is much less complex.
I'll build time in the RV and eventually move up to the Velocity.
The Velocity is a nice 4 place family truckster. :-)
It's more affordable than you think! How's 24K (excluding engine) for the kit sound? That's the quick-build version (cuts build time in half). Full kit is only around 15K.
Very reasonable. Figure 45-68K ready to fly...you can spread that out over years!
I saw one of those MiniMax planes fly at an EAA airshow. I was very impressed. Only drawback is one seat...more fun to fly with friends. :-)
I was talking to a guy awhile back who was building an amphib and his plan was to put in an engine that used standard gasoline. Is that rare in the home-built world?
I am by no means an expert in the homebuilt world. My experience is helping to build a Thorpe T-18 in the 70's and helping rebuild a wrecked Super Cub.
You can get engines certificated for car gas. Since this is my first plane I will be following the directions to a "T".
Like you, if I win the lottery and can get a fleet of planes to experiment on, I may start thinking outside the box. :-)
Any configuration, fixed wing, parasal, hang glider trike, even helicopter if it meets these 4 criteria is an "ultralight".
Most "ultralights" are way over the weight limit, and the FAA seldom enforces it. Unless you injure someone else or damage other property, the FAA typically doesn't want to know or get involved. If there is an "ultralight" accident and no one dies or no other property damaged, they won't even come out to investigate.
The Oklahoma National Guard confirmed Friday that the aerial photos were indeed taken above Camp Gruber in the fall of 1994 and said the classified project involved weapons sensors and was overseen by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. (view of area on Central Europe Road discussed in Washington Post article)
Velocitys are pretty nifty also, although not as good in short field. Every man, and woman, needs a minimum of two airplanes.
I'm going to be looking for a Cessna 180 rebuild project next fall. I need the Queen Family Truxter for the wife and dog, once that is done, then I'll move on to the RV-8.
But there was more than explosives in the portfolios of the CIA agents who surrounded Riconosciuto like moths around a candle. Both Robert Booth Nichols, the shady head of Meridian Arms Corporation (with both CIA and organized crime conections), and Dr. John Phillip Nichols, the manager of the Cabazon reservation, were involved in bio-warfare work-the first in trying to sell bio-warfare products to the army through Wackenhut, the second in giving tribal permission for research to take place at Cabazon. According to Riconosciuto, the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)b was in charge of the classified contracts for biological warfare research. Riconosciuto would later testify under oath that Stormont Laboratories ( http://www.stormont-labs.com/ ) was involved in the DARPA-Wackenhut-Cabazon project. Jonathan Littman, a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle would relate: "Cabazons and Wackenhut appeared to be acting as middlemen between the Pentagon's DARPA and Stormont Laboratories, a small facility in Woodland near Sacramento
Pentagon database plan hits snag on Hill
If fully implemented, TIA would link databases from sources such as credit card companies, medical insurers and motor vehicle departments for police convenience in hopes of snaring terrorists. It's funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
At least the office implementing Total Information Awareness has a sense of humor. This is their new logo. Interestingly they included the All Seeing Eye.
How appropriate. I long for the good old days with slogans like:
To Serve and Protect
For the People and By the People
Liberty and Justice for All
Duty, Honor, Country
I wonder if arkie based acxiom is in on this action? interesting that retired Gen. wesley clark is on the acxion board. I think he is currently employeed by stephens.
Subj: gruber
Date: 9/8/02 4:52:32 PM Pacific Daylight Time
From: ANON
To: BARDSQUILL
I began working at Camp Gruber in September 1994 as a security officer for the DARPA project. My employer was Wells-Fargo. I can’t remember by what means I heard of the job but I interviewed with a person from Wells-Fargo in a hotel conference room in Muskogee, OK. I was a CLEET certified security officer and had worked in Tulsa as a contract security officer.
A few days after the interview I was contacted by Wells-Fargo and informed that they had verified my security clearance and I was hired. There were about 10 of us total working as security officers there. Our salary was $12.50/hour. Several of us including myself were in the military reserves. We all met together and were briefed on the sensitivity of the weapons sensor testing project that was in its field testing phase and that testing would take place at Camp Gruber. We were told it would be about a 3- month project. Camp Gruber has lots of training space there and had been home to one of the Army’s Air Assault Schools until summer 1994. It was by no means a secretive compound like I’ve read about in some articles. It was very active in WWII and is used by many Army Reserve and National Guard units for various field training events and marksmanship qualifications. It was also used as a Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) facility. It’s located near Braggs and Muskogee is about 15 miles away from there.
DARPA began constructing the vehicle storage area in September 1994. That was where the aerial photo was taken with the Ryder truck inside the lot. That lot was used to store vehicles that transported equipment that would be tested. It was important to DARPA that the tested vehicle itself and the testing that took place a few miles away remain private and unobserved from anyone. As security officers, our mission was to report any observations both from ground and air. We manned security outposts in 4 locations as I recall. One was right outside the gate of the storage lot, one was at a building we used as our headquarters which I believe was the post commander’s house back in WWII. The last static post was out in a training area on a road leading to the testing area. And the other was a mobile post, we conducted vehicular patrols driving either a Ford Bronco or a red Ford Explorer. We rotated the posts each shift we worked so all of us worked in each one at some point during our week.
I mostly worked the 2-10 PM shift so I observed the Ryder truck and other vehicles returning almost daily from the field testing site to park their trucks back in the lot. Field testing did not take place every day. Sometimes it was weather dependent and other times they conducted night testing. The field testing site had some temporary trailers erected serving as their logistics and office facilities. There were also a set a bleachers there to allow military members and others involved in the project to observe and record the testing. As I recall the majority of all civilian contractors were based out of Virginia and if I remember correctly the vehicle being tested was for the Marines. As security officers, we weren’t informed about every detail of the testing but we were briefed at the beginning that they would test some equipment that would make military vehicles less visible through the sights of enemy combat vehicles, radars, etc. I’m sure by now DARPA either fielded this equipment or cancelled it and it is no longer a classified project.
About the pilot killed there, I hadn’t heard anything about that until I read about it on the internet. During my time there I did observe one or two aircraft flying overhead. I wrote down their tail numbers, turned it in to my supervisor, and I’m not sure what happened after that. I’m sure we just kept it on file in case we needed it later. I’m not sure if the airspace was restricted or not but I didn’t see too may aircraft flying overhead. The majority of any security issues we had was keeping local hunters out of the area both for our safety and to keep the testing unobserved whether intentional or unintentional. Camp Gruber and the surrounding property are very popular deer hunting areas. I worked there from the first day until the last day and don’t recall any breaches of security or any problems there. The sight was dismantled in December 1994 and that was it for the program.
I observed nothing during that time that leads me to believe it had any connection with the OKC bombing. But I will entertain any ideas of theories concerning a possible connection and will think back to my time there and tell what I know. But I do know for sure that any photos taken of the storage lot with the Ryder truck in it was taken sometime between September and December 1994. I never even heard of any connection with the OKC bombing until sometime last year when I ran across it on the internet. Hope this helps and let me know if I can provide any more details. Thanks.
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