The Plane That Wasn't There | North Coast Journal

The Plane That Wasn’t There

How a mistaken report at the Arcata-Eureka Airport may have cost two men their lives

(Dec. 17, 2009) Vladislav Milushev wanted to see the redwoods.

The young pilot and flight instructor was picking out destinations for a cross-country airplane trip with Rick Gustafson, a friend of a friend who wanted to learn how to fly. At 60, Gustafson still longed for adventure, whether it was skydiving, riding his Harley or just cheering for his beloved Miami Dolphins. For his latest adventure, Gustafson suggested that he and Milushev fly across the country, from Plant City, Fla., to either Las Vegas or Reno. But Milushev’s stepfather, himself a retired Delta captain and ex-Navy pilot, said that was too dangerous. He didn’t want Vladek, as Milushev’s family called him, navigating through the thin air of the rockies.

GALLERY >

So Milushev chose another destination. “You know what?” he said. “I’ve never seen those big trees you can drive through.” At 30, he’d already seen more of the world than most folks. As a child, he and his parents fled the fallout of Chernobyl, moving from Belarus to Poland. When he was 17, he and his mother followed missionaries to Nashville, Tenn. His current home was in a suburb of Orlando, Fla. But he’d never been to the Pacific Northwest. Gustafson had. He said it was beautiful.

Which is how it happened that in the late-night hours of March 1, with rain and wind gaining strength off the coast, Milushev and Gustafson found themselves approaching the Arcata-Eureka Airport in a rented Diamond DA-40, a lightweight, single-prop four-seater being mercilessly tossed about in the escalating storm. Through radio static, Milushev complained to the Seattle-based Air Traffic Control operator: “It’s really turbulent right now.”

At just below 4,000 feet, Milushev, following the controller’s instructions, switched his radio over to the local common traffic advisory frequency, where approaching pilots communicate with one another. (The local airport has no control tower of its own.) The Seattle controller, now unable to reach Milushev, then watched with concern as over the next 15 minutes the plane dropped lower and lower, sinking well below the minimum crossing altitude for a runway approach. Multiple times, the controller tried to reestablish radio contact, to no avail. He called Air Traffic Control in Oakland and asked them to try Milushev on the radio — also unsuccessful. Finally, he summoned his supervisor, and together they watched as three radar sweeps showed the airplane moving south-southeast toward the jagged coast, less than a mile from Trinidad Head and a mere 100 feet above the surface of the sea. The airport runway lies at 221 feet.

And then the plane disappeared.

What happened next remains unclear despite investigations by the Coast Guard, the Humboldt County Department of Public Works and the National Transportation Safety Board, not to mention scrutiny by the friends and families of both Milushev and Gustafson. What’s known is that shortly after the plane disappeared, Humboldt County Airports Manager Jacqueline Hulsey told the Seattle Center supervisor that the plane had landed safely at the Arcata-Eureka Airport when, in fact, it had crashed into the ocean six-and-a-half miles away. This erroneous report, along with an unexplained delay the following morning, postponed search and rescue efforts by more than 12 hours. The families of Milushev and Gustafson believe that lapse could have meant the difference between life and death.

Four days after the crash, debris was found on the shore between Patrick’s Point and Agate Beach. Of the 12 pieces of airframe eventually recovered, the largest was a ragged slice of wing skin measuring seven feet long and nine inches wide. Searchers also found one of the two front seat cushions and a small chunk from the baggage compartment with a data tag that was used to identify the debris. The remains of the two men have not been found.

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25 Comments

Comment / By Pilot Guy / Dec. 17, 2009, 9:47 a.m.

Ms. Hulsey’s actions during and after this event are reprehensible. I believe she should resign or be discharged from her duties. One of the problems that led to this is that Ms. Hulsey is not a pilot (even though the job application recommends that the Airport Manager be a pilot.) As the article stated, airports get calls about missing aircraft all the time, and yes, 99.99% of the time it is because the pilot forgot to close out his flight plan. Because of this, airport personnel don’t get too excited when they receive calls of overdue aircraft. If however, as in this case, Center tells you that a tiny Diamond aircraft just disappeared off of radar during an instrument approach on a horribly stormy night, that should get one’s attention that something BAD just happened.

I believe that Ms. Hulsey, not being a pilot or having much aviation knowledge, did not understand the likelyhood that this was a real emergency and simply assumed it was another pilot who didn’t close a flight plan and just made a courtesy call to the airport without stressing the importance of what was happening.

This seems apparant to me in the entry made in the Airport Log by the worker on duty at the airport. His log says that Ms. Hulsey called and said to “have the pilot of the plane that just landed call Seatlle Center and close his flightplan.” The airport worker then noted that “neither plane nor pilot were located”. This sure looks to me like the proper information was not passed along to the airport worker actually on the scene.

I also find it absolutely disgusting that Ms. Hulsey refused to meet face to face with the relatives of the pilot and had her underlings tell obvious lies to help her avoid the family.

That said, the worst actions were those taken by the pilot himself who choose to fly a small aircraft into an area he was not familiar with, at night, during one of the worst storms of the year. This is the decision that ended his life and it is highly unlikely that even an immediate search would have ended any differently, of course, we can never know that for certain.

Comment / By Sheila Jenkins / Dec. 17, 2009, 2:04 p.m.

My Dad, Rick Gustafson’s death will not be in vain.

Ms. Hulsey, Airport Manager, of not just this airport but other airports as well in the area, may not be willing to face any of us or speak to any of us.

But, I know she is reading this, and I assure YOU, Ms. Hulsey, that YOU will be held accountable for your inexcusable negligence.

CHANGE will happen, so that no family will have to go through such a horrible experience, because you chose to go to bed and handle such a serious issue in the morning.

It may take me a while, to CHANGE the county, the govt., the FAA, etc., but I will go through all channels, to assure to prove that YOU, Ms. Hulsey are NOT qualified for the position you hold.

I will make sure CHANGE happens, to prevent Seattle from practically watching the plane drop into the water, and not be able to call out the Coast Guard themselves.

Yes, this was a very unofrtunate accident, and they may have died upon impact. Ms. Hulsey, that was not for you to decide, you don’t get to play God with peoples lives. As the Coast Guard said it happenned in their backyard they could have been there in minutes, to be sure, my Dad was not still alive, had YOU Ms. Hulsey not gone to bed that night after receiving such serious information.

I am NOT a vindictive person, however, you do NOT take your position serious enough for the title you hold. Your actions after the crash and to date prove this, over and over.

I understand “discipline actions” were taken, but, if you are still holding that position than they were not satisfactory actions to me.

Ms. Hulsey, and Humboldt County, you will hear my name, Sheila Jenkins, over and over in the future. Mark my words.

Anyone with additional information please feel free to contact me directly: TLCOFFLORIDA@AOL.COM and I thank you in aadvance.

Regards, Sheila Jenkins Daughter of Rick Gustafson

Comment / By Charles / Dec. 18, 2009, 12:53 p.m.

The Gustafson family got a kick in the teeth instead of the hard answers the county OWED them when they came to the airport following their loved ones deaths. Would it have been easy to meet with them? No way. Was it her job to man up and be responsive? Absolutely.

Her boss offered the lame duck comment that some kind of disciplinary action appropriate to the event occurred. That isn’t good enough and his shallow response compared to the severity of the screw up indicates he may be over his head in his position as well. Other than dismissal, what on earth was this appropriate action? I for one know from seeing Hulsey at the airport following the incident that she certainly wasn’t suspended for any meaningful length of time.

Let’s say for arguments sake that it was an honest yet tragic mistake that resulted in the delay of rescue/recovery operations for the ill fated pilots. Even as an honest mistake, it happened on her “watch” and clearly she wasn’t “watching” closely enough to realize how serious the situation presented to her was. That is STILL a removable offense for an Airport Manager. Pause for a second and ponder this: it easily could have been a United flight out there with 30 people on it, one of them your loved one.

But that isn’t all by a long shot. Hulsey’s incompetent actions were compounded two further events that should have sealed the deal for her removal:

She tried to pin her lazy response that night on her subordinate when the buck stopped with her, the ONLY person with the clear information the aircraft had disappeared from radar BELOW the airport’s runway altitude. Even for someone who isn’t a pilot, that kind of report should at least put a tickle of extra concern the mix, no? Do we want an Airport Manager to continue to be in charge of our commercial airport who didn’t at least entertain that this was probably more than a pilot forgetting to close out his flight plan?
She refused to meet (or even speak on the phone!) with the family. She cowardly left her secretary to cover for her with a lame story that if a lie was reprehensible and if were the truth demonstrated dereliction of duty. If it was true she couldn’t be reached because didn’t have her cell phone, and even if she did it wouldn’t matter because the BATTERY WAS DEAD explain how she was maintaining her post as Airport’s Manager on the day of the family visit? How did she manage to be “busy at her other airports” if she didn’t even have a duty phone with her? How could she have responded if an emergency occurred at the main commercial airport? Even worse, if she had her secretary tell that story as a lie to the family, isn’t that reason for removal? Can we afford to continue to employ an Airport Manager known resort to lies to save her skin? Is it ethical to expect your subordinate to lie for you, especially in a position of such importance?

Comment / By Charles / Dec. 18, 2009, 12:54 p.m.

With Hulsey at the helm, everyone who travels to the Arcata airport should consider flying in or out of Crescent City for their own safety. Humboldt Board of Supervisors? Are you awake? Are your cell phones charged? Humboldt Board of Supervisor Phone: (707) 476-2391

Comment / By Arthur Ryan Tieck / Dec. 18, 2009, 11:06 p.m.

As a former employee of the arcata airport with humboldt county, WHEN THE PLANE WHENT MISSING Thomas THE EMPLOYEE ON DUTY AT THE TIME AT THE AIRPORT ASKED MRS. HULSEY THAT NEXT MORNING WHY SHE DID NOT TELL HIM WHY THE PLANE WAS MISSING. SHE REPLIED MRS HULSEY SAID “I WAS AFRAID TO TELL YOU THOMAS” and begang to cry. THIS WAS WHITNESSED BY ANOTHER PERSON IN THE ROOM. Mrs, Hulsey’s secretary Emily I can personaly acccount for several lies by ms.Hulsey, reguarding the removal of a boiler and she forceing employees to clean up the asbestose left behind with out any protection. When finally confronted about it she denied everything. Including how many people had been in the room “over a dozen in a one year period” when asked by the investigator how many people had been in the room including contracors ms Hulsey replied “one”. Ms. Hulsey is a liar the people who work under her are scared to death of her. When ever anthing goes wrong up there it is the employees fault first. On multipal occations she has been proven wrong, her employees are punished for her incompetence and the county sweeps it under the rug to save face.

Comment / By Carlos / Dec. 19, 2009, 7:41 a.m.

Jackie Hulsey should be fired. She has consistently ignored the wishes of the GA (General Aviation) community here. This is the backbone of aviation. Many of us local pilots have considered going to the board of supervisors and tell them that she is not representing her constituients, she is not a pilot, and she is not doing her job! Sadly, it is not surprising to hear she ignored the mourning family wishing to speak with her. She has been ignoring us since she was hired, and her words mean little to us….SHAME ON YOU JACKIE!!!

Comment / By Rick / Dec. 19, 2009, 9:16 a.m.

My wife is a 911 dispatcher and gets calls from Center or citizens about possible missing/crashed aircraft frequently. As stated, these usually end up just being a case where the pilot forgot to close his flight plan or a citizen saw an airplane landing at a small airport and thought it crashed.

When my wife calls a small airport (they are all small around here) looking to see if an airplane is safely on the ground, before launching the Coast Guard or S.A.R Team, she uses a technique that I think the Control Centers should implement.

Rather than calling and asking the airport personnel if a red and white Cessna 182, N4832H is on the ground, she will tell them she is looking for a red/white Cessna 182 that may have just landed there. She will ask them to check the field and if they see it to please write down the tail number and tell her what it is. This insures a positive ID of an aircraft as the person looking does not know the tail number of the aircraft ahead of time.

This might be slightly difficult to do at large airports, but even then they could give the plane description and the first two characters in tail number and have the person on the ground give them the rest.

Shiela, if you do contact the FAA, perhaps you could relay this suggestion as I believe it would help eliminate something like this happening again.

Comment / By Sheila Jenkins / Dec. 19, 2009, 6:01 p.m.

Thank you to all who continue to comment and show their support. Being that I live in South FLorida it makes it that much more difficult. But, as I said, I am NOT going to let this go. Yes, I am due to give birth to a baby anyday, but I will be back. I appreciate all the information provided. Being that I flew into Arcata Airport when meeting with the Coast Guard, and seeing the size of Arcata Airport, one has to wonder how you could miss a plane being there? You could look out a window and see the entire landing area. Like Charles said if it was a United Flight with 30 people would Ms. Hulsey reacted differently? Ms. Hulsey, needs to realize the importance of ONE life is equal to that of 30! I will do my best, to ensure this does not happen to anyone else due to her negligence.

Regards, Sheila Jenkins

Comment / By Judi Gustafson / Dec. 20, 2009, 5:52 p.m.

Just adding my sincere thanks to all who are supporting the removal of Jackie Hulsey from her position as Airport Manager. As Sheila has said, we have family obligations right now but trust that we will be back. Every day, I wake up and it takes a few seconds to realize that I have to face another day without Rick. Some days it’s just going through the motions and not really living. It’s hard to get past the sick feeling in my stomach when I think that maybe, just maybe, he was somehow alive when the plane crashed…waiting for help…hoping to be found…and Jackie went back to sleep. I wonder how exactly does she sleep with the lives of two men (at least!) on her conscience. I know that some of you have also questioned the decisions of the pilot but the one thing I know is that Vlad did not make any decisions with malicious intent as his life was at risk as well. Jackie Hulsey, however, made a conscious and callous choice not to report the plane missing so that SHE would not be inconvenienced with additional work.

My daughter states that she is not a vindictive person…and that’s true…the same cannot be said for me. I lost my husband, my love, my best friend, the sharer of my dreams, my foundation, my better half, and someone needs to answer for that. Mr. Mattson, the Director of Public Works, says that the buck stops with him, as the airport is his jurisdiction…you are in my line of fire as well.

Comment / By R.D. / Dec. 20, 2009, 8:07 p.m.

Some time ago I communicated with Jacque Hulsey regarding the operation and safety of our airports – Not Interested!

Some time ago I communicated with Supervisor Smith regarding the operation and safety of our airports – Not Interested!

Some time ago I communicated with the Humboldt County Grand Jury regarding the operation and safety of our airports – Not Interested!

Some time ago I communicated with the North Coast Journal, this publication, regarding the operation and safety of our airports – Not Interested!

Still have all the emails and letters to everybody. Imagine that!

Comment / By Brent Hopper / Dec. 20, 2009, 11:18 p.m.

Have to say everytime I fly into ACV for Skywest, I get a weird feeling/chill that Vladek is watching… Those that know me know I am not religious, but have to say I get that feeling every time I land, takeoff, and especially when I approach over the same flight path into runway 14 over Trinidad Point. He was a great friend and made times at Air Orlando fun with laughs and “Borat” quotes…. For those those that have never met Vladek, you missed a great person, pilot, and a friend.

Comment / By Pilot Guy / Dec. 20, 2009, 11:51 p.m.

Judi, please do not think that my statements regarding the pilot’s decisions that night were meant to assign any malice. The decision to fly up here at night, in a small aircraft, during a heavy storm, after so many hours in the air already, was not a wise one. Any experienced pilot, including his father, I am sure would agree.

Malicious? Of course not. It was two guys out for an adventure that unfortunately ended quite tragically.

As distasteful as I find Ms. Hulsey’s actions in all this, I would also not claim that her actions were callous or malicious. Perhaps her behavior after the incident by refusing to meet with your family and having her staff lie to you about her schedule. Yes, that was rather callous and malicious, but I certainly do not believe that she actually thought an aircraft had crashed in the ocean and she just didn’t want to be bothered by it. I think her actions that night were definitely incompetent, but not malicious.

I can not imagine the pain of losing the one you love in a manner such as this and you have my sincere sympathy.

In your effort to assign the blame for your husband’s death to someone, to make “someone answer for that”, I hope you do not get blinded by your rage and place all of the blame on the shoulders of those that may not be deserving.

Comment / By Incompetence / Dec. 21, 2009, 1:54 p.m.

I can’t see any reason why the Airport Manager should keep their job after such an error. This kind of negligence implies that they were never suited for the job in the first place. To not relieve this employee of their duties is to send a message to everyone involved that such errors are “regrettable” but accepted.

If you make a mistake this big at work, you need to be let go. I’d like the Journal to look deeper into how she got this job and what her relationships are with the people who make decisions about her ongoing employment.

The treatment of the family when they visited in person is unfathomable. That behavior alone will get you fired at any competently-run organization.

Comment / By Reasonable / Dec. 21, 2009, 2:54 p.m.

I hope that the family is able to realize that Jackie wasn’t responsible for the crash of the airplane. Based on the comments from Sheila/Judi, it seems like they are trying to place 100% of the blame on Jackie. Jackie’s not responsible for the crash- the pilot was 100% at fault- Jackie is only responsible for the aftermath. There was a slim chance that those two men were still alive and while Jackie was obviously negligent in her duty to alert the proper authorities, you can’t blame her for them dying. I know that the family is looking for some solace, but truth of the matter is Jackie didn’t force them to fly on little sleep into a storm at an airport they’d never been to.

Comment / By Anonymous / Dec. 21, 2009, 2:56 p.m.

“I’d like the Journal to look deeper into how she got this job and what her relationships are with the people who make decisions about her ongoing employment.”

Typical. Just because she hasn’t gotten fired yet you assume she’s sleeping with her supervisor.

Comment / By Judi Gustafson / Dec. 21, 2009, 3:28 p.m.

Just to clarify a few things…no, I do not hold Jackie Hulsey responsible for the crash…only her actions afterward that took away any hope or chance that they may have survived the crash and could have been saved. I simply want her removed from her position, one that she clearly is not qualified for on so many levels.

Comment / By PIlot Guy / Dec. 21, 2009, 4:13 p.m.

Seeing as my last post was somewhat in defense of Ms. Hulsey, I wanted to do the same for Vladek.

Every pilot I know with some time under their belt can tell you of at least one time when they made a bad decision, did not properly deal with a cockpit distraction, misread a chart or made some other error that could have led to a very unwelcome outcome.

Vladek was simply the unlucky one who did not get a chance to turn his error into a learning experience and a good story to be told around the pilot lounge.

Comment / By Hank Hallmeyer / Dec. 21, 2009, 9:10 p.m.

Unbelievable yet believable for the curtain. If it can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the two survived landing in the ocean, then accessory after the fact charges for manslaughter should be levied…..maybe that emergency beacon in H center has more importance than first realized?

I have worked and lived in many countries and cities and I have once again been blind sided by the curtain culture: incompetent, ignorant, dumb stoner, lazy, back stabbing, thieving, double standard, corrupt, unpolitically correct, dead battery heads, got a job, too high on the food chain know it all professionals and sit on yo ass incompetence.

Gee Hank cant wait to fly back from KY to Arcata.

My oh my if ignorance is bliss why are there not mo happy folks behind the Curtain.

My book is in writing and this will be a new chapter in the book.

Redwood Curtain Culture shock has hit Hank in the face again and again and again…..and he thought living in a bamboo hut in the Peace Corps (eating puffer fish and fruit bat) was culture shock…

Ney…this one takes the cake even over and above being tazered (for nothing),

Hanks 13 year old daughters uninvestigated gang rape (by CAST, the DA, the po po, and the Huboldt County Sherrifs dept (except God rest his soul Detective Ben Nord.)

and a neighbor who verbally wished death to Hank when stricken with illness and ultimate disability.

In God Hank Trusts, In the Curtain Hank does not and will never trust.

Yup, Hank threw stones in this blog and he dont give a hoot if the glass house recoils back.

God rest their souls. FINIS

Comment / By Incompetence / Dec. 22, 2009, 12:57 p.m.

There was no suggestion that she was sleeping with her supervisor.

Comment / By dd / Dec. 23, 2009, 7:53 a.m.

Having worked in that airport for awhile now, I have discovered Jacquelyn Hulsey to be an uncaring two-faced liar. She definitely needs to go. If it had been up to the people who work in the airport, there would have been a petition signed months ago and she would have been gone, which maybe would have prevented the deaths of these two men. Very Sad. If the County cares at all about its reputation in this community, it will make a change, but not fast enough. The way Miss Hulsey manages the airport, a monkey would be better able to handle it and with more style, savvy and personality.

Comment / By Jonathan / Dec. 23, 2009, 9:07 a.m.

ditto this:

I also find it absolutely disgusting that Ms. Hulsey refused to meet face to face with the relatives of the pilot and had her underlings tell obvious lies to help her avoid the family.

How can this airport manager still have her job, let me guess, she will get a pension too? This goes beyond looking bad to other parts of the country, this cost lives. How do we hold her, her boss and the county accountable?

Comment / By NC / Dec. 24, 2009, 5:35 a.m.

I wonder if the County Supervisor is a pilot ?

Comment / By RNL / Dec. 24, 2009, 9:45 a.m.

A friend of mine who lives out of the area called me the other night to tell me about this tragedy. What does this say about our county personnel? Well, if you can’t figure it out, it isn’t good, County of Humboldt.
I made a point to see if this “manager” was still working at the airport, and lo and behold she is! How great for all of you who have to work with her. She is a real winner, isn’t she? Wake up, County! This area has always struggled economically and we certainly do not need this hanging over us. The County needs to replace this person ASAP to show that WE CARE. This is supposed to be a friendly, helpful community, and this does not bode well for Humboldt County. People will just travel elsewhere to see tall trees. Why risk your life flying into the Arcata Airport with the obvious incompetence and disregard for human life? I am going to write a letter to my Congressman, and I suggest that everyone reading this do the same.

Comment / By Sheila Jenkins / Dec. 25, 2009, 11:16 a.m.

Happy Holidays to All! Thank you to all for taking the time to comment on this article. This is my first Christmas without Dad. I am sure I don’t need to say anything else. Please I plan to write letters to EVERYONE until SOMEONE listens. There will be change in 2010, to “RNL” you put it nicely to Humboldt County, whom would want to fly into such an unsafe airport? Anyone, with information that may be of assistance in my crusade, please do email me personally, to “tlcofflorida@aol.com” if everyone speaks, someone will have no choice but to listen. Again, thank you all and have a safe and happy holiday season. Regards, Sheila Jenkins Rick Gustafsons Daughter

Comment / By PIlot Guy / Dec. 26, 2009, 8:37 a.m.

I whole-heartedly encourage your efforts to get Ms. Hulsey removed from her position.

As a pilot however, I am discouraged to read the misinformation suggesting that because of Ms. Hulsey’s incompetence, Arcata Airport is a dangerous airport to fly into. This is just not true.

Ms. Hulsey, and the rest of the on site County personnel have NOTHING to do with the safety of your flight. This is an uncontrolled airport, as is Crescent City, and it is the job of the pilot (and Seattle Center if you are flying IFR)to ensure a safe flight. The only thing that failed due to Ms. Hulsey was a search effort after a crash. This would not happen with a commercial flight as they are being monitored by their company and also have personnel on the ground that would alert authorities if the plane didn’t land.

Even the pilot has several options available to them to start a rescue on their own. The most common is to make a call to Seattle Center and inform them of your trouble and that you are going down. This will get rescue launched immediately. You can dial an emergency code into your transponder. Another option is to activate the onboard ELT. This is a simple toggle switch usually found on the panel of the aircraft. Again, this would have got a rescue launched right away.

So, why didn’t the pilot of this airplane do any of those things? Well, I firmly believe he had no idea he was in any trouble until he hit the water. The NTSB report shows a steady decent from over 4000 ft and he was below altitude for over nearly 10 minutes. It is my belief that an improperly set autopilot caused him to do a steady decent into the ocean without him realizing what was happening.

Again, I do indeed blame Ms. Hulsey for completely mishandling this situation, and I hope she is removed from her position, but it should in no way stop anyone from flying into our local airports. The flight is as safe as the pilot makes it.