Airmen save aircraft crash victim Published Aug. 30, 2004 By Army Spc. Kelsea Vandergriff Alaska National Guard Public Affairs KULIS AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Alaska (AFPN) -- For Alaska Air National Guard’s pararescuemen, it was a “pretty vanilla” rescue, but to one man, it was his life.The 49-year-old pilot of a Kolb Fire Star II Ultra Light aircraft apparently hit a large boulder when attempting to take off from his refueling point in Lake Clark Pass on Aug. 26, officials said. When he failed to reach his destination, officials notified the Alaska Rescue Coordination at Camp Denali of an overturned aircraft. They also reported that they had an overdue aircraft that had departed a camp near Naknek with the intention of flying through Lake Clark Pass. An Air National Guard HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter and an HC-130 Rescue Tanker flew the search pattern that led them to the man. “The Pave Hawk helicopter crew located the overturned aircraft, which turned out to be the same as the overdue aircraft,” said Maj. Mike Haller, an Alaska National Guard spokesman. “After spending the night under a bush in cold rainy weather, he was one happy ‘camper’ when he spotted the Air Guard’s (pararescuemen) coming to his aid.”“He was very grateful (to) us,” said Master Sgt. Paul Barendregt, a pararescueman with the 210th Rescue Squadron. “But for us it was a pretty vanilla rescue. There were low ceilings but the flying was good (today). We landed and escorted him on board.”During the years, Lake Clark Pass has been like a metal magnet for small aircraft crashes, the major said. “It is tough flying in there and there is little margin for error. We’ve never heard of an ultra-light aircraft attempting a flight through that area before this -- let alone one that found a rock while trying to take off,” he said.The pilot was taken to a local hospital in good condition with no apparent injuries.