It appears that some news is about to break so I will let you all in on what I have learned in some discussions I’ve had with Cliff Ammerman recently. I have been sitting on this information but decided to go forward with its release now that it appears others have recently reached out to Cliff.
Cliff was controlling the airspace in Sector 4 and Sector 5 on November 24, 1971. He was handed 305 about 10 miles north of Toledo as it entered Sector 4. He explained that this was somewhat complicated by the fact that the controller in Sector 2 attempted to hand 305 off to the controller handling Sector 4 traffic for the higher altitude which would have been normal. However, given that 305 stayed at 10,000 feet it was actually Cliff who would be handling the flight.
Cliff stated that this also explains why the transcripts are missing data. Specifically, he said that when they were transcribed it appears that the person doing the transcription was listening to the tapes from the controller handling the higher altitude of Sector 4 and not the altitude that Cliff was covering and that 305 was actually flying in.
Cliff was located in Auburn. He took over 305 and communicated with the pilots of 305 briefly as the hand off was effected. In addition, Cliff also took over duties for the two F-106 fighters as they entered Sector 4.
Cliff stated that 305 did not have a prescribed flight path. Therefore, his job was to keep an eye on 305 and make certain that no other aircraft got near 305. Also he was tasked with directing the F-106s.
The F-106s never made visual contact with 305. In fact, they trailed at five miles behind from 11,000 feet. Moreover, the F-106s were having a problem flying at such slow speeds. Therefore, they would have to make some S turns occasionally. Cliff explained that the F-106 has onboard radar that enables them to see targets 10 degrees to the left and right for a total scan range of only 20 degrees. This means that as the jets would make their S turns they would lose contact with 305 on radar but regain contact once they came back around.
Not too long after Cliff took over 305 and the F-106s a single T-33 took off from PDX. Cliff directed the T-33 west then north to meet 305. At a point approximately 10 miles north of PDX Cliff had the T-33 swing around in behind 305. The T-33 was placed five miles behind at 11,000 feet. The T-33 never made visual contact with 305.
At this point Cliff directed the F-106s to an altitude of 20,000 feet and 10 miles east of 305. Then all four jets continued south.
Cliff told me that 305 made the turn at Toledo and started heading toward the Battlefield VORTAC. He said 305 was likely west of the V23 centerline at this point. He then stated that at an estimated point east of Kelso that 305 modified its heading by an estimated 15 degrees to the west. He stated this was done so that 305 would pass west of Vancouver and Portland and cutout the “dogleg” in the V23 flight path. He said that 305 headed directly for the Eugene VORTAC from this point east of Kelso.
Cliff also stated that when the T-33 pulled in behind 305 shortly after the new Kelso heading that he gave the T-33 a heading consistent with 305 and that he never modified that heading. In other words, 305 and the T-33 flew in a straight line to the Eugene VORTAC.
Cliff stated that one matter to consider is that an airliner flying at a normal altitude of 33,000 feet would have no trouble seeing VORTACs a great distance away. However, given that 305 was travelling only at 10,000 feet and the weather was murky that this would inhibit the range of VORTAC detection.
He stated that 305 largely stayed within V23 which is 10 miles wide. However, he stated that he believed it flew outside of the western boundary by a small amount (a couple of miles) as the jet was west of PDX. He further stated this was not a concern and that often the navigation of airplanes will differ by a couple of miles from their screens at air traffic control so it isn’t an issue if a jet flies a little out of a set vector. Nonetheless, 305 was not set to stay within V23 anyway so it didn’t matter. Cliff stated that he estimates that 305 travelled near Hillsboro during that part of the flight.
Cliff also mentioned that airliners communicate using VHF and the military uses UHF. However, the switches are toggled so that he can broadcast to both the airliner and the military at the same time. But, they were concerned that Cooper would be able to hear their communication with the military jets. Therefore, he would stand up and un-toggle the switches so he could communicate with the military jets privately. He mentioned that this was labor intensive so at a point somewhere around Kelso or south of Kelso he had 305 switch over to another frequency. Apparently they had a radio tower on Sauvie Island. The other frequency meant that 305 would be communicating with the controller handling the Sector 4 airspace at the lower level—9,000 feet to ground level—even though 305 was flying at 10,000 feet.
Just south of Portland 305 entered Sector 5 which went all the way to Eugene. Cliff was also handling traffic in Sector 5.
Cliff said that as the jets were travelling in a straight line toward the Eugene VORTAC south of Portland that they naturally were merging closer to the V23 center line. He added that as the group was approaching Eugene that the T-33 was getting low on fuel and was turned back to PDX. Also at this time the F-106s stated that they didn’t have that much fuel to continue on much longer so they suggested that they use this opportunity to send the F-106s back to McChord which was done.
Importantly, as I interviewed Cliff I did not tell him of my thoughts regarding the Western Flight Path. I asked him to tell me what happened that night. Moreover, in a later phone call when I explained the FBI flight path he said he was completely unaware of it. In other words, he had no idea that his thoughts about the flight path and the jet flying west of Portland contradicted the FBI’s version of the flight path.
Also, he stated that the FBI never interviewed him. Additionally, he was unaware of the FBI interviewing any of the air traffic controllers in his group.
Finally, Cliff told me that he knows a former Northwest Orient flight attendant named Catherine. This woman was not on 305. However, she knew Captain Scott personally. Catherine stated that Captain Scott told her in later years that he purposely flew the jet west of Portland because he was concerned about the prospect of a bomb being on the jet and the safety of those on the ground.
I don’t think I need to explain what all of this means. That said, it is clear that this first-hand testimony from both Cliff and Catherine vindicates both R99 and me. Yes, it appears that R99 and I were wrong about the jet travelling from Toledo to Canby. Rather, it appears that 305 actually flew from east of Kelso to Eugene--remarkably, just west of both the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge and Tena Bar.
Those, ladies and gentleman, are the facts.
