1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:07,480 Speaker 1: I'm floating in water, naked. Salt burns my eyes, but 2 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:11,280 Speaker 1: it doesn't matter. There of no use. Everything is black. 3 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: I hold my hand an inch from my face, but 4 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:20,440 Speaker 1: I can't see my fingers. Total silence. I'm in an 5 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:25,560 Speaker 1: isolation tank. Picture a big horizontal egg, half filled with water. 6 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:29,480 Speaker 1: You climb in, pull down the hatch, seal yourself in, 7 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:36,080 Speaker 1: and float. The idea is to eliminate sensory overload, relieve anxiety, 8 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:44,240 Speaker 1: boost creativity, focus, or conversely go blank. I don't zen out, though, 9 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:48,520 Speaker 1: I think about this story, about how the missing men 10 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:53,040 Speaker 1: likely crashed into water and drowned, About the violence of 11 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 1: nature and the brutality of loss, About my burning eyes. 12 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 1: From my heart Media, This is Missing in Alaska, the 13 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:10,959 Speaker 1: story of two congressmen who vanished in nineteen two, and 14 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 1: my quest to figure out what happened to them. I'm 15 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 1: your host, John Wallzac. Full disclosure, This was supposed to 16 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 1: be our final episode, but we're getting so many new 17 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:32,479 Speaker 1: leads that we'll likely be back in the future with updates. 18 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:36,760 Speaker 1: For now, though, let me examine sixteen critical questions about 19 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:40,959 Speaker 1: the disappearance and give you some unexpected answers. You'll hear 20 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 1: it back and forth between me and Paul Deckett are 21 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 1: supervising producer one. Is it really so bizarre for a 22 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 1: small plane to disappear in Alaska and never be found. Yes, 23 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:57,760 Speaker 1: of course planes do vanish in Alaska without a trace, 24 00:01:58,040 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 1: but it's not the norm. In nineteen two, Air Force 25 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:07,760 Speaker 1: Major Henry Stocker, the search commander, told reporters, quote, of 26 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:11,000 Speaker 1: what we're looking for, we locate. Of the previous twelve 27 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:14,799 Speaker 1: hundred planes to disappear, one official said only three had 28 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 1: never been found. An Air Force document I obtained says, quote, 29 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 1: had the aircraft or its occupants have been able to 30 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 1: send an electronic signal, the probability of detection of this 31 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:29,959 Speaker 1: signal was. The probability of detection of fires or other 32 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 1: visual signals from survivors was the probability of detection of 33 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 1: the aircraft if intact in the search area was an 34 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 1: excess of nine. The probability of locating aircraft, wreckage or 35 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:47,639 Speaker 1: survivors without fires or signaling devices was an excess of 36 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 1: in all search areas, and an excess of in the 37 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 1: highest probability area end quote. So, according to the Air Force, 38 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 1: there was a chance of finding wreckage in the highest 39 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:07,000 Speaker 1: probability surge area, but still nothing, no debris, no oil 40 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:11,680 Speaker 1: slick nothing from the plane. And even when planes do disappear, 41 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 1: they're often located years or decades later. Take the case 42 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 1: of Clearance Road, a U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service 43 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 1: official who vanished on a small plane in Alaska in 44 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:26,359 Speaker 1: nineteen fifty. Despite a hundred and forty seven thousand square 45 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:30,800 Speaker 1: miles search, his plane was never found either until nineteen 46 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:33,960 Speaker 1: seventy nine, when hikers stumbled upon it in a remote 47 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 1: part of the Brooks Range, high above the Arctic Circle two. 48 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:42,920 Speaker 1: Where did the plane crash, probably into Prince William Sound, 49 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 1: somewhere between Portage Pass and Henson Brook Island. The last 50 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 1: time anyone heard from the plane was right before it 51 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 1: entered the pass, but searchers found no wreckage in the past, 52 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 1: nor has any sign of it surfaced there in the 53 00:03:56,160 --> 00:04:00,760 Speaker 1: last fifty years. We also have a critical clue. Around 54 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:04,800 Speaker 1: am on the morning of October six, nineteen seventy two, 55 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 1: at least one to three people described in various accounts 56 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 1: as a dock worker, construction worker, and or fisherman, heard 57 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:17,120 Speaker 1: a small plane fly over Whittier, The only plane in 58 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:20,000 Speaker 1: the vicinity of Whittier at that time was the baggage 59 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:23,480 Speaker 1: Boggs plane, so it seems that the missing plane did 60 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:26,920 Speaker 1: make it through Portage Pass over Whittier and onto Prince 61 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:30,360 Speaker 1: William Sound. At that point, it would have been about 62 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:34,000 Speaker 1: seventy five miles from Johnstone Point on the northern tip 63 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:37,760 Speaker 1: of Hension Brook Island. At Johnstone there was a radio 64 00:04:37,839 --> 00:04:41,039 Speaker 1: relay that would have allowed the pilot, Don John's to 65 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:44,880 Speaker 1: speak with the flight service specialist in Anchorage, but Don 66 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:51,159 Speaker 1: never radioed in after crossing through Portage Pass. Why. There 67 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 1: are a few possible explanations. Don's radio broke at that 68 00:04:56,680 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 1: very moment, right after he crossed through Portage Pass, but 69 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 1: before he was within range of Johnstone. Verdict possible, but 70 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:12,040 Speaker 1: very unlikely. Since Dawn wasn't required to make contact at Johnstone, 71 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:15,520 Speaker 1: he chose not to, so he actually made it past 72 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:18,920 Speaker 1: Hinsion Brook without checking in. But Don was known to 73 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:22,360 Speaker 1: radio in three to four times when flying between Anchorage 74 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 1: and Juno, and he probably would have wanted to check 75 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:28,159 Speaker 1: in to see if there were any new weather updates. 76 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:36,440 Speaker 1: Verdict possible but unlikely. Don crashed right after he got 77 00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:39,960 Speaker 1: through Portage Pass, but before he was within range of Johnstone. 78 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:43,320 Speaker 1: This would have had to occur during a narrow window 79 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:47,200 Speaker 1: of time, though, say five to fifteen minutes, because once 80 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:49,560 Speaker 1: he got through the pass he would have been within 81 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:54,320 Speaker 1: range of the radio relay pretty quickly. Verdict possible, but 82 00:05:54,640 --> 00:06:01,599 Speaker 1: less likely. Don had a sudden emergency while he was 83 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 1: within range of Johnstone and then crashed. In this case, 84 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:07,680 Speaker 1: even if he could radio in, he would have been 85 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:16,039 Speaker 1: preoccupied with saving the plane. Verdict possible. On this note, 86 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:19,720 Speaker 1: there's also a chance Don was within range of Johnstone 87 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:22,960 Speaker 1: but too low to make contact. Maybe there was an 88 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:25,920 Speaker 1: emergency and he wanted to call in, but he couldn't. 89 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 1: His radio was line of sight, so terrain like mountains 90 00:06:30,279 --> 00:06:38,320 Speaker 1: could have blocked a transmission. Verdict possible. Some people speculate 91 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:41,720 Speaker 1: that Don did not cross through Portage Pass. They think 92 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:45,800 Speaker 1: he took an alternate route without notifying the authorities. Maybe 93 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:49,640 Speaker 1: he followed a rail line down to seward, crossed over water, 94 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:53,800 Speaker 1: and then disappeared. But this doesn't take into account witness 95 00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:58,880 Speaker 1: reports of a plane crossing over Whittier that morning. Verdict possible, 96 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:05,640 Speaker 1: but very unlike so to recap based on available evidence, 97 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:09,720 Speaker 1: it's still most likely that the plane craft somewhere between 98 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 1: Portage Pass and Henshon Brook Island, probably into Prince William Sound. 99 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:24,520 Speaker 1: Three was the Cessina tail Bob Martinson found around right 100 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:27,680 Speaker 1: off Henshon Brook Island, part of the Beggage Bogg's plane. 101 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:33,960 Speaker 1: Maybe the coloration, size and tail number all apparently match, 102 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:38,320 Speaker 1: so does the location. Poor Duchess is only about ten 103 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:41,440 Speaker 1: miles south of V three one seven, the route Don 104 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:46,560 Speaker 1: John's planned to take on October six ninety two. That day, 105 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:49,800 Speaker 1: if Don flew low under a cloud ceiling, he would 106 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 1: have had to circle around Hension Brook, not over it 107 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:57,239 Speaker 1: by heading north or south. If he flew south trying 108 00:07:57,240 --> 00:08:01,200 Speaker 1: to circle around the island, and if he had an emergency, 109 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 1: he would have likely turned east into port Us instead 110 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 1: of heading out over open ocean. Once in port Ches, 111 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:10,120 Speaker 1: he likely would have tried to cross through a low 112 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 1: pass of about a thousand feet and then attempted to 113 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 1: land either somewhere on Hension Book or in Cordova. Four. 114 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:22,480 Speaker 1: What happened to the tailpiece Bob found Bob is fuzzy 115 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:25,920 Speaker 1: on whether he, his father and only Resa there fishing 116 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:28,960 Speaker 1: partner left the tail in the water, if they brought 117 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:31,800 Speaker 1: it back to Cordova, or if they sent it back 118 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:35,280 Speaker 1: on a tender, a type of supply boat. Bob thinks 119 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 1: they sent it back to Cordova on a tender. Five. 120 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:42,160 Speaker 1: If it made it back to Cordova to the Alaska 121 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 1: State troopers, what happened, then where is it? Honestly, I 122 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:49,960 Speaker 1: have no idea. I tried to track down troopers who 123 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:53,959 Speaker 1: were stationed in Cordova around nineteen to ask them, because 124 00:08:54,040 --> 00:08:56,640 Speaker 1: even if they determined that it belonged to a different plane, 125 00:08:57,040 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 1: that's not the type of thing you forget. There should 126 00:08:59,880 --> 00:09:04,280 Speaker 1: be documentation of which plane it belonged to. Unfortunately, the 127 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:08,840 Speaker 1: only troopers I could find have died six What happened 128 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:16,120 Speaker 1: to the plane on October sixteenth? Why did it crash again? 129 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:21,920 Speaker 1: There are multiple possible explanations, including a mechanical failure, be 130 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:27,520 Speaker 1: whether see pilot error or d a bomb or some 131 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:32,280 Speaker 1: other black swan event. I don't buy option a catastrophic 132 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 1: mechanical failure. The plane had just undergone a hundred hour 133 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:40,240 Speaker 1: inspection the day before it disappeared, and then that night 134 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:44,360 Speaker 1: Dawn flew it safely from Fairbanks to Anchorage. I know 135 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 1: at this very moment some pilots are squirming in their seats, 136 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:50,720 Speaker 1: so let me explain to the general public what these 137 00:09:50,760 --> 00:09:53,959 Speaker 1: pilots have explained to me. The odds of a small 138 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:57,800 Speaker 1: plane suffering a mechanical failure actually go up after a 139 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 1: through inspection because everything gets jostled around, etcetera. But the 140 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:09,079 Speaker 1: higher odds are still extremely low. So option B, whether 141 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:13,520 Speaker 1: this is what most people believe brought down the plane, specifically, 142 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:17,600 Speaker 1: ice turbulence seems less likely. It would have been most 143 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:21,040 Speaker 1: severe in portage pass, but the plane apparently made it 144 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 1: through the pass through the worst of it, So again ice. 145 00:10:25,760 --> 00:10:29,480 Speaker 1: To be clear, there's zero doubt that icing conditions were 146 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:33,760 Speaker 1: present that day. The weather was undeniably bad. But it's 147 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:37,280 Speaker 1: important to explain a few things first. When you think 148 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 1: of a small plane icing up and crashing, what do 149 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:42,880 Speaker 1: you picture? Do you see it freezing into an ice 150 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:47,120 Speaker 1: cube and just falling out of the sky, Because if so, 151 00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:50,600 Speaker 1: that's not how it works. The real reason ice is 152 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:54,080 Speaker 1: so dangerous, as Don himself pointed out in his article 153 00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 1: Ice Without Fear, which ran the same month he disappeared, 154 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:01,000 Speaker 1: is not the weight it adds. It's because ice can 155 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:05,200 Speaker 1: interfere with airflow, making it hard, if not impossible, for 156 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:09,600 Speaker 1: small planes to climb. So you risk losing altitude, stalling 157 00:11:09,840 --> 00:11:15,920 Speaker 1: and then eventually crashing. Second, why does nearly everyone believe 158 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:19,520 Speaker 1: ice brought down the missing plane? There are two important 159 00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:24,520 Speaker 1: reasons here. No wreckage was ever found, so zero evidence 160 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 1: that everyone wants some explanation. And that brings me to 161 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 1: Don John's the pilot. He's an easy scapegoat. In Ice 162 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:37,680 Speaker 1: Without Fear, which again was on news stands when the 163 00:11:37,679 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 1: plane disappeared, Don made several inflammatory comments, including quote, playing 164 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:46,400 Speaker 1: with ice is like playing with the devil. Fun but 165 00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:49,760 Speaker 1: don't play unless you can cheat. But that's only a 166 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:54,040 Speaker 1: single line. Read the whole article. Don was wicked, smart, 167 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:57,479 Speaker 1: and a damn good pilot. He survived more than seventeen 168 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 1: thousand hours flying and often brutal Arctic conditions. Yes, he 169 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:05,880 Speaker 1: was arrogant, but there's a difference between arrogance born of 170 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:09,400 Speaker 1: inexperienced youth and arrogance born of actually being good at 171 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:13,520 Speaker 1: what you do. Now, grizzled pilots like to say there 172 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:17,839 Speaker 1: are old pilots and bold pilots, but no old bold pilots, 173 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:21,240 Speaker 1: And there's some truth to that. If you take risks, 174 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:25,719 Speaker 1: your odds of dying obviously go up to these old Timers. 175 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:29,520 Speaker 1: Don is a very polarizing figure. They see him as 176 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:34,760 Speaker 1: either a genius or a fool. And this polarization is 177 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:38,920 Speaker 1: very important because when you can bind bad weather and 178 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:42,360 Speaker 1: Don's article, conditions were right for Don to take the 179 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:45,520 Speaker 1: fall for the cocky pilot who iced up and crashed 180 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:49,720 Speaker 1: narrative to dominate, even though since no wreckage was ever found, 181 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:55,760 Speaker 1: that theory, too, is based entirely on speculation. Furthermore, while 182 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:58,880 Speaker 1: evaluating the ice theory, let's take a closer look at 183 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:02,840 Speaker 1: weather conditions that a by Alaska standards, they were actually 184 00:13:02,840 --> 00:13:06,160 Speaker 1: pretty mild. The surface temperature along much of the plane's 185 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:09,360 Speaker 1: route was in the forties, well above freezing, and in 186 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:11,920 Speaker 1: the air the freezing level was at about five to 187 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:16,640 Speaker 1: six thousand feet. What does this tell us For argument's sake, 188 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:22,040 Speaker 1: Let's say Don did encounter moderate to severe icing conditions. First, 189 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:25,480 Speaker 1: as an experienced pilot, he would have known quickly that 190 00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:30,760 Speaker 1: he was in trouble. Second, it's extremely unlikely, almost impossible, 191 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:33,400 Speaker 1: that ice could have built up so quickly that it 192 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:37,120 Speaker 1: caused the plane to suddenly plummet into the sea. If 193 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:40,360 Speaker 1: Don was flying high enough and to accumulate a significant 194 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:42,600 Speaker 1: amount of ice, that day he would have had to 195 00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:45,319 Speaker 1: have been he would have had time to descend into 196 00:13:45,320 --> 00:13:48,880 Speaker 1: warmer air. And even if he iced up while crossing 197 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:52,240 Speaker 1: through Portage Pass, he still had seventy five miles ago 198 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:55,400 Speaker 1: before reaching hnsin Brooke. He would have been over open 199 00:13:55,440 --> 00:13:58,520 Speaker 1: water most of the time. He had time to escape 200 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:04,800 Speaker 1: into warmer air, and he had room. Now, let's look 201 00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:07,920 Speaker 1: at the plane itself, a twin engine Cessna three ten. 202 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:11,640 Speaker 1: See the three ten is not intended to find icing 203 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:16,559 Speaker 1: conditions for any extended period of time, no matter what. Regardless, 204 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:19,880 Speaker 1: just because the three ten encounters icing conditions doesn't mean 205 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:24,480 Speaker 1: it will automatically crash. So other than pilot experience, the 206 00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:27,960 Speaker 1: vital question is what kind of icing equipment did the 207 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:32,160 Speaker 1: plane have. First, you have to delineate between anti ice 208 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:36,760 Speaker 1: equipment and d ice equipment. Anti ice equipment helps prevent 209 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:41,280 Speaker 1: ice build up, d ice equipment helps remove it. According 210 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:45,280 Speaker 1: to the NTSB's final accident report, the missing plane had 211 00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:49,360 Speaker 1: only a single piece of icing equipment, a heated pet tube, 212 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:52,240 Speaker 1: which is a device that prevents ice from interfering with 213 00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:57,360 Speaker 1: air speed measurements. Past that, the NTSB report states explicitly 214 00:14:57,720 --> 00:15:00,960 Speaker 1: that the plane had no other anti I equipment, and 215 00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:03,880 Speaker 1: it makes no mention of any d ice equipment either. 216 00:15:04,520 --> 00:15:07,760 Speaker 1: Since ice is most often cited as the reason the 217 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:13,080 Speaker 1: plane crashed, this is extremely important. Now listen closely to 218 00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 1: what I'm about to tell you, because to my knowledge, 219 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:20,400 Speaker 1: nobody has ever reported it until now. There appeared to 220 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:25,600 Speaker 1: be major errors in the NTSB report discrepancies and omissions. 221 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:29,400 Speaker 1: Before I go on, let me credit Mike Travis, a 222 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:33,240 Speaker 1: pilot based in Washington State who has extensive experience flying 223 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:37,040 Speaker 1: in Alaska, as the first person to notice this. Mike 224 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:40,680 Speaker 1: and I both obtained the missing planes airworthiness records from 225 00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:43,840 Speaker 1: the f a A. Mike also obtained copies of the 226 00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:48,240 Speaker 1: plane's original records from Cessna. In these records, we found 227 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:52,520 Speaker 1: something fascinating. It appears that the missing plane was outfitted 228 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:56,160 Speaker 1: with three pieces of anti ice and d ice equipment 229 00:15:56,400 --> 00:16:00,080 Speaker 1: that we're not mentioned in the NTSB accident report. This 230 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:04,480 Speaker 1: is a huge deal. Specifically, Mike and I found documentation 231 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:08,200 Speaker 1: that the plane had one pneumatic d ice boots on 232 00:16:08,280 --> 00:16:11,920 Speaker 1: both its wings and horizontal stabilizer part of its tail. 233 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:15,360 Speaker 1: Pilots inflate d ice boots to crack ice off a 234 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:19,360 Speaker 1: plane's airframe and allow wind to carry it away. Two 235 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:24,040 Speaker 1: an alcohol based anti ice propeller system which pumps anti 236 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:29,360 Speaker 1: ice fluid onto propeller blades, and three a d ice light. 237 00:16:29,920 --> 00:16:33,240 Speaker 1: According to Andrew Kalett, a Georgia based pilot who co 238 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:36,960 Speaker 1: hosts the defense security podcast, d ice lights let you 239 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:39,640 Speaker 1: light up the leading edge of wings at night to 240 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:43,240 Speaker 1: see if you're picking up ice. So why did the 241 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:47,640 Speaker 1: NTSB mentioned none of this? How did the NTSB missed 242 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:51,360 Speaker 1: three pieces of anti ice and d ice equipment on 243 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:54,920 Speaker 1: a plane presumed have been felled by ice. The most 244 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:59,440 Speaker 1: generous explanation is gross negligence that d NTSB just missed 245 00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:03,200 Speaker 1: the equipment. It beyond that, it's possible that the icing 246 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:07,920 Speaker 1: equipment was removed sometime before the plane disappeared, but if 247 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:12,600 Speaker 1: it was removed, that should have been documented. Finally, it's 248 00:17:12,640 --> 00:17:16,000 Speaker 1: possible that the icing equipment was there but it didn't work. 249 00:17:16,400 --> 00:17:20,120 Speaker 1: It was inoperative, so the NTSB just didn't mention it. 250 00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:23,679 Speaker 1: But the NTSB did mention a different system on the 251 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:27,439 Speaker 1: plane that was functional but inoperative, an oxygen system that 252 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:31,000 Speaker 1: worked but had not been serviced with oxygen. So even 253 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:34,640 Speaker 1: if the plane had an operative icing equipment, the NTSB 254 00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:38,600 Speaker 1: should have mentioned it, as it did with the oxygen system. 255 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:42,280 Speaker 1: For clarification, I called Phil Hewith, the mechanic who worked 256 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:45,359 Speaker 1: on the missing plane the day before it disappeared. Phil 257 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:48,800 Speaker 1: remembers that at the very least, the plane did have 258 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:52,680 Speaker 1: functioning d ice boots, meaning not only were they not removed, 259 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:58,680 Speaker 1: but they worked to recap According to FAA records, CESSNA records, 260 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:03,160 Speaker 1: and Phil Hewith, the missing plane apparently had three pieces 261 00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:06,919 Speaker 1: of icing equipment not included in the NTSB accident report. 262 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:11,080 Speaker 1: Why did the NTSB exclude this equipment, I don't know, 263 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:15,239 Speaker 1: but by not including it, the NTSB helped further the 264 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:18,720 Speaker 1: iced up and crashed narrative, the narrative that most people 265 00:18:18,840 --> 00:18:22,800 Speaker 1: to this day still believe. Now. The fact that the 266 00:18:22,840 --> 00:18:26,280 Speaker 1: plane had this extra equipment does not mean it's impossible 267 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:28,880 Speaker 1: that it iceed up and crashed. It means it's less 268 00:18:28,920 --> 00:18:33,120 Speaker 1: likely the extra equipment should have bought Don John's, the pilot, 269 00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:36,600 Speaker 1: at least an additional five to ten minutes to escape 270 00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:41,560 Speaker 1: into better conditions and or warmer air. All together, when 271 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:47,040 Speaker 1: you combine Don's experience, mild temperatures, and extra unreported icing 272 00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:50,680 Speaker 1: equipment not cited by the NTSB, the ice up and 273 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:54,520 Speaker 1: crash theory seems much less likely today than at any 274 00:18:54,560 --> 00:19:24,680 Speaker 1: point in the last fifty years. So I've examined two 275 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:29,200 Speaker 1: possible explanations for why the plane crashed, mechanical failure and weather. 276 00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:34,040 Speaker 1: What about the others options? See? Is pilot error? Now, 277 00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:38,119 Speaker 1: Dawn was very smart and very experienced, but that doesn't 278 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:41,080 Speaker 1: rule out pilot error. It just means it's less likely. 279 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:45,000 Speaker 1: For argument's sake, let's say pilot error did play a 280 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:48,760 Speaker 1: role here. There are many possible scenarios, and we can't 281 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:52,560 Speaker 1: examine them all but one, perhaps the likeliest, is that 282 00:19:52,680 --> 00:19:56,200 Speaker 1: Dawn flew too low and slammed into a mountain or glacier. 283 00:19:56,880 --> 00:20:00,600 Speaker 1: But this doesn't make sense. Remember when US has heard 284 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:04,919 Speaker 1: a plane, probably this plane pass over Whittier, and beyond 285 00:20:05,000 --> 00:20:09,600 Speaker 1: Whittier it's mostly open water until hension brooke. That leaves 286 00:20:09,640 --> 00:20:13,160 Speaker 1: us with option D, the black Swan event, a bomb 287 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:19,360 Speaker 1: or something else unexpected and extreme. Seven. Was the plane bombed? 288 00:20:19,920 --> 00:20:24,720 Speaker 1: I don't know. Eight? Could the plane have been bombed? Yes, 289 00:20:25,359 --> 00:20:28,920 Speaker 1: how maybe with the bomb triggered by a barometric pressure 290 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:33,240 Speaker 1: or a timer or a radio receiver. The possibilities are endless. 291 00:20:33,760 --> 00:20:36,919 Speaker 1: Where would you hide it? Probably in the tail compartment. 292 00:20:37,520 --> 00:20:40,959 Speaker 1: Why would anyone bomb it? Well, that gets the motive 293 00:20:41,560 --> 00:20:46,360 Speaker 1: that gets to Jerry Paisley and his claims. Nine do 294 00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:51,000 Speaker 1: you think Jerry Paisley lied? I think there's a strong 295 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:54,639 Speaker 1: possibility that he did tell the truth, at least in part. 296 00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:57,960 Speaker 1: And I'm not alone in that opinion. The three members 297 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:01,320 Speaker 1: of law enforcement and the NBC producer who interviewed him 298 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:04,920 Speaker 1: all agree with me. Look, if I thought everything Paisley 299 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:07,720 Speaker 1: said was bullshit, I would tell you. I'm not here 300 00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:09,879 Speaker 1: to lie to you. I'm here to tell the truth 301 00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:12,760 Speaker 1: to the best of my ability. I've tried to keep 302 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 1: speculation to a minimum. I want you to make up 303 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:18,880 Speaker 1: your own mind. But come on, you mean to tell 304 00:21:18,920 --> 00:21:22,800 Speaker 1: me that one year after congressman vanished, by pure coincidence, 305 00:21:23,119 --> 00:21:26,400 Speaker 1: his widows stumbled into a mobster, married him. And by 306 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:29,480 Speaker 1: the way, this guy murdered five or six people, bombed 307 00:21:29,520 --> 00:21:32,400 Speaker 1: a judge's house, and had close ties to two prominent 308 00:21:32,440 --> 00:21:37,440 Speaker 1: mafia families. For argument's sake, okay, chalk it up to coincidence. 309 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:42,720 Speaker 1: Twenty years after this coincidence, this guy, Jerry Paisley, tells 310 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:46,679 Speaker 1: law enforcement a shocking story. He claims that Peggy Begett 311 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:49,679 Speaker 1: met with mob boss Joe Bonano in Tucson in the 312 00:21:49,720 --> 00:21:53,520 Speaker 1: summer of nineteen seventy two, right before her husband, Congressman 313 00:21:53,600 --> 00:21:58,320 Speaker 1: Nick Beggett, disappeared. He claims that shortly thereafter, a Banano 314 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:02,119 Speaker 1: lieutenant named Joe I Trolla or Joey the I asked 315 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:05,159 Speaker 1: him to fly a suitcase to Anchorage. He claims he 316 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:08,600 Speaker 1: did fly a suitcase to Anchorage. He claims that two men, 317 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:11,720 Speaker 1: Danny Zivanich and Jean Fowler, picked him up at the 318 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:14,720 Speaker 1: Anchorage airport, and that later that night the three of 319 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:17,760 Speaker 1: them met up with Jean's brother Larry. He claims that 320 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 1: after he, Peggy and Zivinich went into business in nineteen 321 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:25,199 Speaker 1: seventy four, Zivinas told him that Peggy owed him because 322 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:29,440 Speaker 1: he quote blew her old man out of the sky. Now, 323 00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:33,840 Speaker 1: what of Paisley's story? Can we prove? Paisley did marry 324 00:22:33,840 --> 00:22:38,480 Speaker 1: Peggy Baggage. Paisley and Peggy did go into business with Zivinage. 325 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:43,000 Speaker 1: Paisley did have close ties to to mob families, the 326 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:47,159 Speaker 1: Bananas and the Lick of Olie's. Paisley did murder people 327 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:51,520 Speaker 1: and conduct bombings. The rest I'm not a hundred percent sure, 328 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:56,720 Speaker 1: but if Paisley's claims are true, if I'd speculate the 329 00:22:56,760 --> 00:23:01,320 Speaker 1: following things. One, Jean and Larry four were bit players. 330 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:03,960 Speaker 1: Jeane was paid to pick up Paisley at the airport 331 00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:06,800 Speaker 1: and not ask questions, and the three men just hung 332 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:10,879 Speaker 1: out that night with Larry. Two Joeyah Tarrola was also 333 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:14,879 Speaker 1: a bit player. He ran an errand for his boss. Three. 334 00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:17,480 Speaker 1: Paisley knew more than he led on, but he was 335 00:23:17,560 --> 00:23:22,080 Speaker 1: still mostly a bit player. Four. As for Danny Zivinag, 336 00:23:22,320 --> 00:23:25,360 Speaker 1: he's a cipher. I don't know much about him. He 337 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:28,719 Speaker 1: was in the military, moved to Alaska and was a bartender. 338 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:32,080 Speaker 1: Next thing you know, he owns fifty of Max Inc. 339 00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:36,720 Speaker 1: The company he started with Peggy and Paisley. Five. The 340 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:40,200 Speaker 1: Mob would have gotten involved for one of two reasons. First, 341 00:23:40,320 --> 00:23:43,280 Speaker 1: there's always a direct payment. Give us money, We'll give 342 00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:46,000 Speaker 1: you a bomb. Second, and I think this is more 343 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:49,600 Speaker 1: likely if Peggy won nick seat and she did run 344 00:23:49,680 --> 00:23:52,680 Speaker 1: for it, the mob would have had Alaska's only congress 345 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:55,640 Speaker 1: person in its back pocket. During a gold rush time, 346 00:23:55,960 --> 00:23:58,919 Speaker 1: the oil boom, when there were moves and money to 347 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:02,359 Speaker 1: be made. You could ask well, why go through all 348 00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:06,480 Speaker 1: that trouble? Why not bribe or blackmail Nick Baggage instead? 349 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:10,400 Speaker 1: And my answer would be that every single person I've interviewed, 350 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:13,600 Speaker 1: and I mean every person, said Nick was clean and 351 00:24:13,640 --> 00:24:16,399 Speaker 1: a man of integrity. I don't think he could be 352 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:21,080 Speaker 1: bought off or blackmailed. Six If the plane was bombed, 353 00:24:21,240 --> 00:24:24,280 Speaker 1: why do it with hail bogs on board? To that, 354 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:27,480 Speaker 1: I'd say, if someone bombed the plane, they would have 355 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:30,040 Speaker 1: had the factor in the likelihood that wreckage would be 356 00:24:30,119 --> 00:24:33,560 Speaker 1: found and a bomb identified as the cause of the crash. 357 00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:37,000 Speaker 1: And then who would everyone pinpoint as the target, the 358 00:24:37,119 --> 00:24:41,240 Speaker 1: nerdy first term congressman from Alaska or the House Majority 359 00:24:41,320 --> 00:24:45,320 Speaker 1: leader who served on the Warrant Commission seven? Why would 360 00:24:45,359 --> 00:24:49,800 Speaker 1: Peggy get involved? Though her son Tom denies it, multiple 361 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:52,520 Speaker 1: people told me that Peggy's marriage to Nick was strained, 362 00:24:52,760 --> 00:24:56,600 Speaker 1: that they were separated and considering a divorce. Peggy met 363 00:24:56,680 --> 00:24:59,400 Speaker 1: Nick in Minnesota when Nick was a young twenties something 364 00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:03,320 Speaker 1: high school teacher, her high school teacher. They got married, 365 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:06,560 Speaker 1: moved to Alaska, had six kids, and then Nick was 366 00:25:06,640 --> 00:25:10,240 Speaker 1: gone most of the time. Working documents show that Peggy 367 00:25:10,280 --> 00:25:15,440 Speaker 1: got about a million dollars in today's dollars after Nick disappeared. Eight. 368 00:25:15,960 --> 00:25:20,000 Speaker 1: Even if Paisley told the truth, it's possible Peggy did 369 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:23,040 Speaker 1: not know what she was getting herself into. She could 370 00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:27,920 Speaker 1: have been manipulated and used. Nine. Paisley might have told 371 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:31,240 Speaker 1: the truth in part. It might not be so simple 372 00:25:31,320 --> 00:25:34,960 Speaker 1: as he lied or he told the truth. Maybe he 373 00:25:35,080 --> 00:25:39,679 Speaker 1: told part of the truth. And this leads me to 374 00:25:39,760 --> 00:25:43,480 Speaker 1: an interesting theory. When I sat down with Tom Davis, 375 00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:46,800 Speaker 1: the Arizona investigator who observed Paisley's wedding to Peggy in 376 00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:51,880 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy four and interviewed Paisley in he pointed out 377 00:25:51,960 --> 00:25:56,080 Speaker 1: something interesting in the red dot photos, the Peggy Paisley 378 00:25:56,080 --> 00:25:59,920 Speaker 1: wedding photos. Every person connected to organized crime is tie 379 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:04,600 Speaker 1: primarily to the lick of OLiS, not the bananas. Heck, 380 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:08,040 Speaker 1: even Pete Lackavoli Jr. Himself is there, but none of 381 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:12,679 Speaker 1: the bananas. In addition, the Conti Qui, where Paisley claimed 382 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:15,880 Speaker 1: Peggy met with Joe Bonano, was owned, at least in part, 383 00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:18,919 Speaker 1: not by the bananas but by the lick of OLiS. 384 00:26:19,720 --> 00:26:24,200 Speaker 1: Also in nineteen seventy four, Joeya Tarola or Joey the I, 385 00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:28,640 Speaker 1: the man who allegedly gave Paisley the suitcase filled with explosives, 386 00:26:29,119 --> 00:26:32,320 Speaker 1: was secretly photographed at a Tucson golf tournament with two 387 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:38,360 Speaker 1: of Paisley's friends, Sal Spinelli and Pete Likavoli Jr. Finally, 388 00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:43,240 Speaker 1: in FBI records, I found something very interesting. An FBI 389 00:26:43,359 --> 00:26:47,800 Speaker 1: memo dated October six, nineteen seventy two, only ten days 390 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:51,840 Speaker 1: before the congressman disappeared, states that Jerry Paisley was spotted 391 00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:55,520 Speaker 1: in September nineteen seventy two, around the same time he 392 00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:59,879 Speaker 1: claimed to have transported explosives to Anchorage with Pete Likavoli Sr. 393 00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:03,480 Speaker 1: The Big Boss. Here's part of the memo with the 394 00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:08,679 Speaker 1: word blank substituted in for redacted sections. Quote source advised 395 00:27:08,680 --> 00:27:12,520 Speaker 1: that on nine, nineteen seventy two, Jerry Max Paisley and 396 00:27:12,560 --> 00:27:15,879 Speaker 1: Pete Lookavoli Senior had been in the Hilton Inn bar together. 397 00:27:16,600 --> 00:27:19,200 Speaker 1: During the time they were in the bar, they blank. 398 00:27:19,760 --> 00:27:22,640 Speaker 1: Source stated that she had heard that Paisley was presently 399 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:27,359 Speaker 1: residing at the Hilton Inn motel. End quote. And there's 400 00:27:27,359 --> 00:27:32,040 Speaker 1: a second FBI memo quote On September twenty one, nineteen 401 00:27:32,119 --> 00:27:36,520 Speaker 1: seventy two, p x T DASH two advised that on Blank, 402 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:40,399 Speaker 1: Jerry Max Paisley and Pete Lookavoli Senor had been in 403 00:27:40,440 --> 00:27:43,440 Speaker 1: the Hilton Inn bar together. During the time that they 404 00:27:43,440 --> 00:27:46,520 Speaker 1: were in the bar together, they were also joined by blank. 405 00:27:47,160 --> 00:27:50,520 Speaker 1: Source stated he had heard that Paisley was presently residing 406 00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:55,280 Speaker 1: at the Hilton Inn motel end quote. So, per two 407 00:27:55,440 --> 00:28:00,280 Speaker 1: FBI memos, Jerry Paisley was observed with Pete Lackavoli year 408 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:05,360 Speaker 1: in Tucsson on September nineteenth, nineteen seventy two, only twenty 409 00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:10,080 Speaker 1: seven days before the congressman disappeared again. Paisley claimed that 410 00:28:10,119 --> 00:28:14,639 Speaker 1: Peggy Beggett visited Tusson sometime around August nineteen seventy two, 411 00:28:14,840 --> 00:28:17,720 Speaker 1: and that about two weeks later he transported a lock 412 00:28:17,840 --> 00:28:22,560 Speaker 1: suitcase with explosives to Anchorage. So why would Paisley blame 413 00:28:22,640 --> 00:28:26,120 Speaker 1: the bananas instead of the lick of OLiS. I don't know. 414 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:29,800 Speaker 1: Maybe he wanted to protect them, Maybe he wanted to 415 00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:34,840 Speaker 1: protect himself by changing key details. At this point, let 416 00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:37,480 Speaker 1: me pause because I need to correct an error I 417 00:28:37,520 --> 00:28:41,520 Speaker 1: made in two previous episodes. In episodes four and eight, 418 00:28:41,800 --> 00:28:45,480 Speaker 1: I stated that Peggy Beggett and Jerry Paisley were accompanied 419 00:28:45,480 --> 00:28:48,520 Speaker 1: on their honeymoon to Mexico in nineteen seventy four by 420 00:28:48,560 --> 00:28:52,320 Speaker 1: Pete lick of Ol Jr. And his wife Cathy. That's incorrect. 421 00:28:52,880 --> 00:28:57,400 Speaker 1: Cathy is Pete's sister, not his wife. So my correction 422 00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:01,200 Speaker 1: is this. Peggy Beggett and Jerry pay Easily were accompanied 423 00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:04,040 Speaker 1: in March nineteen seventy four on their honeymoon to Mexico 424 00:29:04,440 --> 00:29:07,320 Speaker 1: by Pete lack of Ole Jr. And his sister Cathy 425 00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:37,800 Speaker 1: two of mob boss Pete look Ofoly seniors children ten. 426 00:29:38,440 --> 00:29:41,440 Speaker 1: Whether or not his claims are true, why did Paisley 427 00:29:41,440 --> 00:29:44,360 Speaker 1: make them at all? Why did he speak to law enforcement? 428 00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:48,320 Speaker 1: I don't know. However, I've said it before and I'll 429 00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:52,200 Speaker 1: say it again. It is possible Paisley just lied. Maybe 430 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:55,440 Speaker 1: there's no good reason why. Maybe he was just an asshole. 431 00:29:56,080 --> 00:29:58,920 Speaker 1: But beyond lying for the fun of it, I struggled 432 00:29:58,920 --> 00:30:01,640 Speaker 1: to see any logic a reason why he would make 433 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:04,800 Speaker 1: these claims if they were false. He got no time 434 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:08,880 Speaker 1: off his sentence, no media attention, no money, and he 435 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:12,680 Speaker 1: did not express a boiling hatred of Peggy Baggage. In fact, 436 00:30:12,840 --> 00:30:16,160 Speaker 1: if you read the transcript, even Paisley speculates that she 437 00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:19,800 Speaker 1: didn't really know what she got herself into. In an email, 438 00:30:20,120 --> 00:30:23,520 Speaker 1: Tom Beggatt told me, quote, my family is wearied by 439 00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:26,160 Speaker 1: the things people like Jerry have said for their moment 440 00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:30,200 Speaker 1: of fame or notoriety. End quote. But to Tom, I'd 441 00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:35,520 Speaker 1: ask this, what fame? What notoriety? Paisley spoke about this 442 00:30:35,600 --> 00:30:38,760 Speaker 1: with one journalist before he died. He did not embark 443 00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:43,040 Speaker 1: on a publicity campaign. Paisley even asked his biographer Sean 444 00:30:43,080 --> 00:30:46,840 Speaker 1: Atwood to use a pseudonym after he died, and in 445 00:30:47,040 --> 00:30:50,680 Speaker 1: Atwood's book The Mafia Philosopher, there's no mention of the 446 00:30:50,720 --> 00:30:54,280 Speaker 1: alleged bombing, something you'd figure Paisley would want if he 447 00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:59,720 Speaker 1: craved fame. Finally, if what he wanted was fame and glory, 448 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:03,880 Speaker 1: why would Paisley downplay his role, Because in the bombing narrative, 449 00:31:04,120 --> 00:31:07,880 Speaker 1: he's not some badass mob guy. He's a glorified delivery 450 00:31:07,920 --> 00:31:14,160 Speaker 1: man who flew a suitcase from Tucson to Anchorage. Past speculation, 451 00:31:14,760 --> 00:31:18,160 Speaker 1: is there anything that backs up paisley story, even parts 452 00:31:18,160 --> 00:31:22,920 Speaker 1: of it? In short? Maybe Paisley told investigators that when 453 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:27,000 Speaker 1: Peggy Begetts visited Tucson around August nineteen seventy two, he 454 00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:29,200 Speaker 1: used a fake name to book her a room at 455 00:31:29,240 --> 00:31:33,120 Speaker 1: the Spanish Trail Motel. In the FBI records I obtained, 456 00:31:33,400 --> 00:31:38,239 Speaker 1: there are conveniently multiple memos detailing where Paisley lived at 457 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:42,720 Speaker 1: various points during the summer of nineteen seventy two. June one, 458 00:31:42,920 --> 00:31:48,400 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy two, the Thailand's Motel August eighteen, nineteen seventy two, 459 00:31:48,760 --> 00:31:53,520 Speaker 1: the Spanish Trail Motel September twenty one, nineteen seventy two, 460 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:57,640 Speaker 1: the Hilton Inn. So the FBI records document that not 461 00:31:57,720 --> 00:32:00,280 Speaker 1: only did Paisley live at the Spanish Trail Mode Tell 462 00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:04,320 Speaker 1: in August nineteen seventy two, when Peggy Baggage allegedly stayed there, 463 00:32:04,680 --> 00:32:09,720 Speaker 1: but also that Paisley moved frequently. So if Paisley lied, 464 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:13,160 Speaker 1: he had an amazing ability twenty four years later to 465 00:32:13,240 --> 00:32:16,320 Speaker 1: remember exactly where he lived during one month in the 466 00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:19,440 Speaker 1: summer of nineteen seventy two, so that he could incorporate 467 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:23,920 Speaker 1: that detail into his lie twelve. Did you find anything 468 00:32:23,920 --> 00:32:29,760 Speaker 1: else in the FBI records? Yes, and it's weird again. 469 00:32:29,960 --> 00:32:32,720 Speaker 1: Let me read you part of an FBI memo using 470 00:32:32,760 --> 00:32:37,400 Speaker 1: the word blank for redacted sections. Quote on August twenty three, 471 00:32:37,560 --> 00:32:41,600 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy two Blank telephone. Blank advised that he had 472 00:32:41,640 --> 00:32:45,080 Speaker 1: received information from his Blank that during the early part 473 00:32:45,120 --> 00:32:48,200 Speaker 1: of August nineteen seventy two, Blank had told her that 474 00:32:48,240 --> 00:32:50,320 Speaker 1: he had been brought to the Tucson area by the 475 00:32:50,360 --> 00:32:53,440 Speaker 1: chief of the FBI in New Orleans. He stated that 476 00:32:53,480 --> 00:32:56,200 Speaker 1: this trip had been made on an FBI jet aircraft 477 00:32:56,520 --> 00:32:59,960 Speaker 1: and at several other agents, possibly from the Albuquerque area, 478 00:33:00,360 --> 00:33:03,160 Speaker 1: had a companied Blank and the agent from New Orleans. 479 00:33:03,680 --> 00:33:06,400 Speaker 1: Blank stated that he was told by Blank that upon 480 00:33:06,480 --> 00:33:10,160 Speaker 1: their arrival at Tucson, all of the individuals interviewed Jerry 481 00:33:10,160 --> 00:33:13,280 Speaker 1: Paisley at the airport, and that Paisley had been taken 482 00:33:13,320 --> 00:33:17,440 Speaker 1: to the airport by local Tucson FBI agents end quote. 483 00:33:18,120 --> 00:33:21,840 Speaker 1: So here in an FBI memo we have an allegation 484 00:33:22,040 --> 00:33:25,000 Speaker 1: that Jerry Paisley was taken to the Tucson airport in 485 00:33:25,080 --> 00:33:30,320 Speaker 1: early August nineteen seventy two and interviewed by FBI agents. 486 00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:35,760 Speaker 1: Does the idea of the plane being bombed make any sense? Yes, 487 00:33:36,480 --> 00:33:39,400 Speaker 1: here's what we know. The missing plane likely made it 488 00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:42,840 Speaker 1: through Portage Pass within five to fifteen minutes. It would 489 00:33:42,840 --> 00:33:45,920 Speaker 1: have been within range of the radio relay at Johnstone Point. 490 00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:50,239 Speaker 1: But the pilot Don John's never radioed in again. So, 491 00:33:50,280 --> 00:33:53,400 Speaker 1: as far as I can tell, something catastrophic and sudden 492 00:33:53,560 --> 00:33:56,160 Speaker 1: caused the plane to crash. I've told you why. I 493 00:33:56,200 --> 00:34:00,400 Speaker 1: think mechanical failure and pilot error are unlikely. So what 494 00:34:00,520 --> 00:34:05,040 Speaker 1: does that leave fourteen? Aren't you reading too much into this? 495 00:34:05,560 --> 00:34:08,879 Speaker 1: The simplest explanations still is that the plane iced up 496 00:34:08,880 --> 00:34:12,799 Speaker 1: and crashed. The weather was bad that day. Yes, the 497 00:34:12,800 --> 00:34:17,040 Speaker 1: weather was bad, But let's do an exercise. Let's say 498 00:34:17,080 --> 00:34:19,080 Speaker 1: you put a bomb in my trunk and I drive 499 00:34:19,120 --> 00:34:22,600 Speaker 1: off a cliff during a blizzard. Nobody finds me. Does 500 00:34:22,640 --> 00:34:24,279 Speaker 1: the fact that I drove off a cliff in a 501 00:34:24,320 --> 00:34:29,359 Speaker 1: blizzard mean the bomb wasn't in my trunk? Aren't you 502 00:34:29,440 --> 00:34:33,960 Speaker 1: being extremely unfair to Peggy begat in my opinion? No. 503 00:34:34,760 --> 00:34:37,760 Speaker 1: I gave Miss Baggett and her family plenty of opportunities 504 00:34:37,800 --> 00:34:40,439 Speaker 1: to tell their side of the story. Except for Tom 505 00:34:40,440 --> 00:34:44,840 Speaker 1: Beggatt's emails, they declined to answer any questions, and Charles 506 00:34:44,840 --> 00:34:48,960 Speaker 1: wolf Fourth, their friend, the author who investigated Paisley's claims 507 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:52,880 Speaker 1: but never published them, posted a message with multiple inaccuracies 508 00:34:52,880 --> 00:34:56,040 Speaker 1: on Facebook last year warning people not to work with me. 509 00:34:56,760 --> 00:34:59,240 Speaker 1: I still want to tell Peggy side of the story. 510 00:34:59,680 --> 00:35:02,760 Speaker 1: She always has an open invitation to do an interview. 511 00:35:03,239 --> 00:35:06,000 Speaker 1: The Beggage is probably figured it was wise not to 512 00:35:06,080 --> 00:35:09,520 Speaker 1: speak with me to deny the story oxygen and hey, 513 00:35:09,680 --> 00:35:13,040 Speaker 1: it worked to some degree. As of this recording, no 514 00:35:13,200 --> 00:35:16,839 Speaker 1: media in Alaska except the Fairbanks Daily News Miner has 515 00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:21,560 Speaker 1: reported this story. Still, it's especially egregious, in my opinion, 516 00:35:21,960 --> 00:35:24,880 Speaker 1: that the Anchorage Daily News hasn't covered it at all. 517 00:35:25,840 --> 00:35:31,600 Speaker 1: Six So what now? Two things? First, the FBI should 518 00:35:31,600 --> 00:35:35,920 Speaker 1: reopen its investigation into Jerry Paisley's claims. There are people 519 00:35:35,960 --> 00:35:40,239 Speaker 1: alive who have answers. It's not too late. Also, the 520 00:35:40,280 --> 00:35:42,920 Speaker 1: Bureau should examine how the case was handled in the 521 00:35:43,000 --> 00:35:47,680 Speaker 1: nineteen nineties. Second, someone should conduct a full search for 522 00:35:47,719 --> 00:35:51,320 Speaker 1: the plane in and around port Edges where Bob Martinson 523 00:35:51,360 --> 00:35:55,960 Speaker 1: found the tailpiece. We searched, but obviously we don't have 524 00:35:56,040 --> 00:36:00,320 Speaker 1: the resources of say the federal government or James camp Rent. 525 00:36:00,719 --> 00:36:03,920 Speaker 1: Now we could go back with more equipment, So if 526 00:36:03,920 --> 00:36:07,200 Speaker 1: you're listening and you want to fund another search, email 527 00:36:07,320 --> 00:36:11,200 Speaker 1: us seriously. If we go back to Port Uches. In 528 00:36:11,239 --> 00:36:14,640 Speaker 1: addition to r o v s or remotely operated vehicles, 529 00:36:14,680 --> 00:36:18,680 Speaker 1: we need at least three other things, a magnetometer, a 530 00:36:18,760 --> 00:36:23,080 Speaker 1: toe behind metal detector, and side scan sonar. A magnetometer 531 00:36:23,120 --> 00:36:26,480 Speaker 1: would allow us to detect certain metals ferris metals like 532 00:36:26,600 --> 00:36:30,520 Speaker 1: iron and steel, but not aluminum. It would allow us 533 00:36:30,520 --> 00:36:33,040 Speaker 1: to search for parts of the plane like the engines. 534 00:36:33,719 --> 00:36:36,600 Speaker 1: A toe behind metal detector, on the other hand, would 535 00:36:36,640 --> 00:36:40,040 Speaker 1: allow us to detect aluminum, and side scan sonar would 536 00:36:40,040 --> 00:36:43,600 Speaker 1: allow us to look at the sea floor. With this equipment, 537 00:36:43,960 --> 00:36:47,239 Speaker 1: if the baggage box plane is in port edges, there's 538 00:36:47,280 --> 00:36:51,040 Speaker 1: a good chance we could find it. Regardless of what 539 00:36:51,200 --> 00:36:54,480 Speaker 1: comes of this show, whether or not the FBI reopens 540 00:36:54,520 --> 00:36:58,000 Speaker 1: its investigation or another search is conducted in Port Uches, 541 00:36:58,440 --> 00:37:01,520 Speaker 1: I will continue to investigate new leads, and we are 542 00:37:01,600 --> 00:37:05,560 Speaker 1: getting them every day. For now, though, this is a 543 00:37:05,640 --> 00:37:09,600 Speaker 1: story with no ending, but even stories with no ending 544 00:37:09,960 --> 00:37:17,960 Speaker 1: deserve to be told. But wait, only a few days 545 00:37:17,960 --> 00:37:22,239 Speaker 1: ago after we finalize this episode, we got some startling 546 00:37:22,280 --> 00:37:25,560 Speaker 1: new information. So even though this was supposed to be 547 00:37:25,600 --> 00:37:29,520 Speaker 1: our final episode, we'll be back. However, at this point 548 00:37:29,880 --> 00:37:32,960 Speaker 1: we're reporting the story in real time, meaning we can't 549 00:37:32,960 --> 00:37:41,360 Speaker 1: publish every week. Stay tuned. No task this week. Instead, 550 00:37:41,840 --> 00:37:45,920 Speaker 1: Questions for the Alaska news media, especially the Anchorage Daily News. 551 00:37:46,600 --> 00:37:49,279 Speaker 1: How long can you ignore the story? When will you 552 00:37:49,320 --> 00:37:53,319 Speaker 1: report it? And why haven't you reported it? Ever? You 553 00:37:53,360 --> 00:37:56,000 Speaker 1: can reach us by phone at one eight three three 554 00:37:56,480 --> 00:38:00,520 Speaker 1: m I A Tips. That's one eight three three six 555 00:38:00,560 --> 00:38:05,359 Speaker 1: four two eight four seven seven again one eight three 556 00:38:05,440 --> 00:38:09,920 Speaker 1: three six four two eight four seven seven, Or you 557 00:38:09,920 --> 00:38:13,080 Speaker 1: can reach us via email at tips at iHeart media 558 00:38:13,160 --> 00:38:16,799 Speaker 1: dot com. That's tips, T I P s at I 559 00:38:16,960 --> 00:38:20,920 Speaker 1: heeart media dot com. And you've already been very helpful. 560 00:38:21,360 --> 00:38:24,319 Speaker 1: Among other things, you helped us find Joe Tatum, the 561 00:38:24,400 --> 00:38:27,600 Speaker 1: last man alive who heard the bizarre radio transmission the 562 00:38:27,719 --> 00:38:31,080 Speaker 1: day of the plane vanished. You helped us find Alex Dressler, 563 00:38:31,360 --> 00:38:35,080 Speaker 1: the reporter who observed Peggy and Paisley's wedding. Dressler did 564 00:38:35,080 --> 00:38:39,480 Speaker 1: not respond to interview requests regardless, thanks to Michael Knacka 565 00:38:39,560 --> 00:38:43,319 Speaker 1: for helping us find him. Finally, you also helped us 566 00:38:43,360 --> 00:38:46,200 Speaker 1: figure out that the photo everyone thought was the last 567 00:38:46,239 --> 00:38:49,360 Speaker 1: known photo of the missing congressman is actually not the 568 00:38:49,440 --> 00:38:53,600 Speaker 1: last known photo of them. There are others. Unfortunately, the 569 00:38:53,640 --> 00:38:56,600 Speaker 1: photographer who did take the final known photos did not 570 00:38:56,719 --> 00:39:01,000 Speaker 1: respond to interview requests. An important note, none of the 571 00:39:01,040 --> 00:39:04,200 Speaker 1: people Jerry Paisley claimed took part in or had knowledge 572 00:39:04,239 --> 00:39:09,200 Speaker 1: of the alleged bombing. Joe Banano, joeyat Tarrola, Danny Zevinich, 573 00:39:09,600 --> 00:39:13,960 Speaker 1: Gene Fowler, Larry Fowler, or Peggy Begat where ever charged 574 00:39:13,960 --> 00:39:16,920 Speaker 1: with or convicted of any crimes tied to any of 575 00:39:16,920 --> 00:39:22,360 Speaker 1: Paisley's allegations. Peggy Begat and Danny Zevenich declined multiple interview requests. 576 00:39:22,760 --> 00:39:26,960 Speaker 1: Gene Fowler was unavailable for an interview. Joe Banano, joeyat Trolla, 577 00:39:27,120 --> 00:39:30,640 Speaker 1: and Larry Fowler are dead. Pete Lacavoli Jr. And Mike 578 00:39:30,719 --> 00:39:34,359 Speaker 1: Lackavoli did not respond to multiple interview requests. We were 579 00:39:34,440 --> 00:39:38,359 Speaker 1: unable to reach Kathy Lookavoli. Pete Lakavoi Senior is dead. 580 00:39:39,200 --> 00:39:42,239 Speaker 1: Ben Bowen is our executive producer. Paul Decant is our 581 00:39:42,239 --> 00:39:46,640 Speaker 1: supervising producer. Chris Brown is our assistant producer. Seth Nicholas 582 00:39:46,680 --> 00:39:50,719 Speaker 1: Johnson is our producer. Sam T. Garden is our research assistant. 583 00:39:51,000 --> 00:39:54,360 Speaker 1: And I'm your host and executive producer, John Wallzac. You 584 00:39:54,400 --> 00:39:57,200 Speaker 1: can find me on Twitter at at John Wallzac, j 585 00:39:57,400 --> 00:40:01,920 Speaker 1: O n w A l se z A k. Our 586 00:40:02,000 --> 00:40:07,080 Speaker 1: team has been amazing. Ben Paul, Chris Seth, and Sam 587 00:40:07,120 --> 00:40:09,719 Speaker 1: thank you and thank you to I Heart for supporting 588 00:40:09,760 --> 00:40:13,560 Speaker 1: this show. Paul is also a filmmaker. He directed a 589 00:40:13,560 --> 00:40:16,520 Speaker 1: movie that came out last year called Annie in the City. 590 00:40:16,680 --> 00:40:19,840 Speaker 1: Check it out on Amazon, A, n n E y 591 00:40:20,160 --> 00:40:23,080 Speaker 1: in the City. On a personal note, thank you to 592 00:40:23,160 --> 00:40:26,560 Speaker 1: my friends and family, especially the three fearless women who 593 00:40:26,640 --> 00:40:30,160 Speaker 1: helped raise me, my mom, aunt and grandma and my 594 00:40:30,280 --> 00:40:34,200 Speaker 1: dad too. A shout out to my alma mater umc Asheville, 595 00:40:34,480 --> 00:40:37,160 Speaker 1: and a special thanks to Jen and Rob for studio 596 00:40:37,239 --> 00:40:40,840 Speaker 1: space and for your support. Missing in Alaska is a 597 00:40:40,880 --> 00:40:45,800 Speaker 1: work of investigative journalism. I spent nine years researching this story, 598 00:40:45,840 --> 00:40:48,880 Speaker 1: but most journalists don't have the luxury of spending years, 599 00:40:49,040 --> 00:40:52,279 Speaker 1: or months or even weeks on a single story. To 600 00:40:52,400 --> 00:40:56,799 Speaker 1: that end, please support local media, regardless of your politics. 601 00:40:56,840 --> 00:41:00,000 Speaker 1: A strong local press is vital to hold everyone accountable, 602 00:41:00,600 --> 00:41:03,319 Speaker 1: and I'd like to ask you a favor. If you can, 603 00:41:03,760 --> 00:41:07,520 Speaker 1: please donate to the Lens, a small nonprofit news outlet 604 00:41:07,560 --> 00:41:10,880 Speaker 1: in my city, New Orleans. Go to the Lens NOLA 605 00:41:11,080 --> 00:41:16,319 Speaker 1: dot org. That's the Lens Nola dot org. Finally, there's 606 00:41:16,400 --> 00:41:19,719 Speaker 1: also an amazing nonprofit that cleans up marine debris and 607 00:41:19,760 --> 00:41:23,400 Speaker 1: Prince William Sound called Gulf of Alaska Keeper or go 608 00:41:23,600 --> 00:41:26,560 Speaker 1: a k Thank you to Chris Pallister, who founded the 609 00:41:26,640 --> 00:41:29,960 Speaker 1: organization for consulting with us before our trip to henshin 610 00:41:30,000 --> 00:41:32,920 Speaker 1: Brook Island. You can learn more about and donate to 611 00:41:33,600 --> 00:41:37,560 Speaker 1: go a K at go a k dot org. That's 612 00:41:37,640 --> 00:41:41,480 Speaker 1: go a k dot org. Missing in Alaska is a 613 00:41:41,520 --> 00:41:46,719 Speaker 1: co production of I Heart Media and Greenfork Media.