FINDING THE LOST:

National Radar Analysis Team Efforts Saves Lives

By Russell Slater

Thanks to modern technology and the dedicated work of a growing team of radar analysts, those who go missing are getting easier to find. Originating in 2009, the National Radar Analysis Team has grown to 11 members and their valuable work has had a significant impact on CAP’s search and rescue capabilities. Often working with the Cell Phone Forensics Team, NRAT relies on its resourceful members and their use of technology to give precise information to search partners in the air and on the ground.

The Team

With a goal of reducing crash-to-rescue time, key expert CAP members such as data analysts, programmers, and other specialists were gathered to form NRAT in 2009. Among the team’s experienced pilots are also professionals with a background in the Air Force, FAA, and aviation industries. Specialized software tools were developed to aid in the team’s missions, which help to assemble and sort through vast collections of data in record speed. Their system archives radar data, weather data, and radar coverage prediction data. For typical missions, 2–4 team members work on different parts of the process, such as collaboration with the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, the Cell Phone Forensics team, and CAP searchers in the field through their own NRAT website.

Rescue in the Rocky Mountain State

On Jan. 7, a couple from Colorado Springs found themselves stranded in subzero temperatures after their Cirrus SR22 crashed approximately 32 miles east of Meeker, Colorado. The couple, who sustained minor injuries in the crash, was able to send a distress call before their plane went down and came perilously close to going over a cliff merely 300 feet away.

Facing 2–4 feet of snow and a temperature of -18 degrees, the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center knew that time was not on their side when they assigned the rescue mission to CAP’s Colorado Wing. Lt. Col. John Henderson, based out of Washington State, received the call for assistance and the National Radar Analysis Team (NRAT) was activated. While receiving information from airborne reports, they were rapidly able to ascertain the couple’s location by producing a radar track of the plane’s path.

“We are very quick at getting mission specific-data, and the analysts had probable crash location information within about 20 minutes of being activated,” said Lt. Col. John Henderson, Vice Commander of NRAT. “We had a total of five NRAT team members that worked this mission, with 2nd Lt. Mark Keene as the Primary Analyst and Lt. Col. Mark Young, also a team member, who happened to be the CAP Incident Commander for the mission.”

Using Google Earth, the team’s radar track provided an understanding of the area’s terrain and was a tremendous value to local sheriffs and emergency first responders by plotting the craft’s potential location based in the speed of the plane and the weather.

“We only had a few hours to work with due to weather moving in,” said Lt. Col. Mark Young, who also serves as Assistant Director of Operations for the Colorado Wing in addition to his role with NRAT. “A ground rescue would have been impossible, so we had to affect a rescue by air. The success of this mission was in part due to the positive relationship that CAP has with the state and local agencies. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to build those relationships. Almost exactly one year previous to this mission, we had a mission that was a breakup in flight in the same county. I took the time to go to their debriefing in person and show them what we can do with radar and cell phone forensics. That paid off immensely on this mission when time was of the essence.”

Guided by the vital information given by the team, rescuers found the plane .7 miles from its last radar hit. The task of the multi-mission aircraft from Colorado’s Department of Public Safety Fire Prevention and Control, along with 2 civilian medevac helicopters, was made considerably easier through NRAT’s efforts. The stranded couple was taken to the Pioneers Medical Center in Meeker in just over 2 hours after the team was notified, a surprisingly quick resolution to the mission that undoubtedly could have resulted in a fate much worse.

“Missions, like this one, can be resolved in 30–60 minutes,” Henderson added.“Others can take several hours to several days. We always stay on it until searchers actually find the aircraft.”

Alaska Rescue

2017 has been busy for NRAT from the start. Shortly after their involvement with the rescue in Colorado, the team joined with the Cell Phone Forensics team to assist in the location and rescue of a downed Cessna 180 in south-central Alaska. When the plane with three individuals aboard was reported missing, the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center (AK-RCC) alerted NRAT. Going on data from the plane’s planned flight route, five team members worked for hours tracking dozens of craft, attempting to identify where the missing Cessna may have crashed.

After several dead ends, Cell Phone Forensics team member Maj. Justin Ogden was tapped by the Rescue Coordination Center to help out. Based on early emergency location transmitter (ELT) reports, and using cell phone data that corresponded to the end of NRAT’s last track, clues began to emerge that were passed on the AK-RCC.

Search crews were ready to abandon their task, faced with fading daylight, low temperatures, and snow moving in, when the downed plane was finally located. Using a fusion of Cell Phone, Radar Track, and a late ELT report, a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter found the crash site and rescued the three.

Collaboration and cooperation with their colleagues from the Cell Phone Forensics team is common for NRAT, according to Henderson. He said, “We work hand-in-hand with the Cell Team on most of our missions. Sometimes, if the cell phone numbers are not available, they are not involved. When you look back through the chat logs for the missions, you see us working with several Cell Phone Forensics team members on most missions. Sometimes their information helps us isolate the right track and our information will help confirm their data.”

Looking Ahead

In instances of a plane crash in which pilots and passengers survive, time is crucial if a successful rescue is to be executed. NRAT is currently developing more advanced tools to make them even more efficient. The team plans to utilize a live radar data analysis system, ICARUS, which would alert team members within 15 minutes of a potential crash when it senses an abrupt end in a craft’s radar track. It would also produce a validation package for analysts to study and evaluate further.

“We continue to refine our processes and work to produce the right product quickly and get it into the right hands to make accurate decisions,” Lt. Col. Young said. “While the team is producing great results, we have a lot more improvements in the works.”

Henderson added, “Besides our actual mission time, our team’s programmers have put in thousands of hours building all the unique tools that help us be as efficient as we are on aircraft search and rescue. As we continue to build new tools and enhance our existing tools, it is exciting times for the NRAT team.”

Since the founding of the team, NRAT has performed 450 missions, accomplished 189 finds, and saved 27 lives, proving themselves to be beneficial value to CAP and its customers.

*Originally published in CAP Volunteer Magazine