Report and Recommendations to the New Mexico Search and Rescue Review Board regarding the Investigation of SAR Mission No. 090105, Operational Periods 1 and 2, June 9-10, 2009 (“606 Mission”) MARCH 25, 2010 ‘Report prepared by Officer Patrick Oakeley with the assistance of Kelly Miller, Kyle Thornton and Inspector Michael Valverde. All interviews were conducted by Officer Oakeley. Edited by: Inspector Valverde and legal counsel Germaine Chappelle0. m. Vv. Assignment Operational Period 1 ‘A. Operational Period 1: Overview B. Operational Period 1: Concerns and Allegations ©: Operational Period I: Investigation Interview Gary Caso Incident Commander terview Lee Onstott Interview Steve Crawford Interview Dave Feldt Interview Beck Atkinson Interview Peter Olson Interview Mike Warren Interview Mare Beverly Interview Gary Williams 410, Interview James Newberry LL. Interview Stephen Attaway 12. Interview Bob Cowen D. Operational Period 1: Conclusions Operational Period 2: ‘A. Operational Period 2: Overview B. Operational Period C._ Operational Period. Interview Beck Atkinson Incident Commander Interview Gary Cascio Interview Diane Bigley Interview Joe Bigley Interview Richard Browning Interview Andy Simmons Interview Mare Beverly Interview Jonas Anderson D. Operational Period 2: Conclusions ‘Recommendations esa we ere1. ASSIGNMENT: On June 09, 2009, SAR Mission 09010 (the “606 Missicn”) was initiated to locate a lost hiker in the Santa Fe Ski Basin Area. New Mexico State Police helicopter 606, along “with SAR resources, were dispatched to locate the lost hiker. Helicopter 606 located the ‘missing hiker and attempted to transpor the hiker. The halicopter crashed and the pilot and the hiker didnot survive. Issues concerning how the Mission was conducted have been raised, Additionally, allegations have been made that members of the Albuquerque Mountain Rescue Council (AMRO) acted to jeopardize the safety ofthe Mission and should not be allowed to participate in future SAR missions. Based on this information, on or about July 23, 2009, Girection was given to AMRC that one of their team members would no longer be permitted to participate in future New Mexico State Police Search and Rescue missions. At the Search and Reseue Advisory Board meeting on Thursday, November 5, 2009, MRC expressed concer that sufficient due process had not occured to investigate the decision made to prohibit one of their team members from participation in future SAR missions. After deliberation, the Board decided thatthe request to conduct a more thorough investigation had merit and discussed how to staff the review committee. Chief Segotta was then briefed on the request made atthe Boaré Meeting by AMRC and ‘concer raised generally about the Mission, After tis biefing, Chief Segota directed that a thorough investigation be conducted conceming the 606 Mision generally and specifically that allegations regarding SAR personnel also be investigated. Pursuant to Chief Segotta’s direction, the review committee was formed by New Mexico State Police Inspector Mike Valverde, acting as the SAR Resource Officer, and was tasked with reviewing documents, reports and logs and conducting interviews of members involved inthe operation in an effort to gain insight into the conditions, difficulties, and issues, related tothe Mission and the personnel allegations that had been made, Inspector Valverde assigned New Mexico State Police Administrative Assistant forthe Special Operations Bureau Kelly Miller, Emergency Med‘cal Services Bureau Chief Kyle Thorton and State Police Officer Patrick Oakeley, to investigate the 606 Mission with available documentation and Mission participants. The results of this investigation are summarized in this report and are based on interviews, doumens attached to this report, logs, written statements and a de-briefing of SAR resources that occurred on Saturday, September 12, 2009, Note: Operational Periods 3 and 4, which took place an June 11, 2009 from 0715 ‘hours to 2030 hours and on June 20, 2009 from 0530 hours to 1900 hours respectively, and involved the downsizing and demobilization of assets after the primary goals of the mission were accomplished. This report does not address Operational Periods 3 or 4. ‘The central issues with the Mission involve activity and alleged conduct that ‘occurred during Operational Periods 1 and 2, which tcok place on June 09, 2009