Flight 0-2-Oscar-Oscar-Mike

[Westo454]

Mission Report

Mission #0092

Department: Atmospheric Flight

Pilot/Crew: Hamvin Kerman

Status: MIA

Scout Flight 0-2-Oscar-Oscar-Mike (OOM) was a scheduled scout flight to an odd valley almost directly north of the Kerbal Space Center. The Valley, spotted, but almost totally ignored by another flight, 0-1-Oscar-Oscar-Mike, which was en-route to the north pole. It was a standard flight, in the although newly developed, largely reliable W-1 "Sparrow" Aircraft.

The flight went normally, quickly reaching cruising altitude of 6,000 Meters, and turning north. Every 5 Minutes, the pilot checked in with mission control.

After approximately 20 Minutes, the pilot reported he was over the valley. The following is the last audio communication with the aircraft.

Pilot: Mission Control, Flight 0-2-Oscar-Oscar-Mike.

Mission Control: Flight 0-2-Oscar-Oscar-Mike, Mission Control, go ahead.

Pilot: Approaching the valley now, preparing for descent.

Control: Roger Oscar-Oscar-Mike, We are standing by for an image.

Pilot: Copy, sending image now.

*Brief Pause*

Control: Image received, standing by for landing confirmation. Over and out.

Pilot: Roger, over and out.

Approximately one minute following this communication, live flight readouts indicated that the pilot had used his ejector seat. approximately 20 seconds following the ejection, all contact with the flight was lost, including live flight readouts.

The only image ever received is herein attached

the valley appears to be an ancient, giant footprint, although it is beyond us what could possibly create such a massive footprint.

-Signed

Ed Kerman,

Mission Director.

[Westo454]

RE: Mission Report

Investigation Report

Mission #0092

Case File #0034

Investigator: Bob Kerman

A secondary flight over the valley indicates no sign of any wreckage. According to the pilot's report, there is no sign of any kerbal having ever been present in the valley. This is quite strange, since the last coordinate for the flight were directly over the valley.

That was until I received the weekly tracking station report. According to the report, there was quote "High Velocity Debris, appearing from nowhere" above the last known location of this aircraft. The debris continued out into a solar exit orbit. Before the debris exited, we trained a radio telescope on it, and low and behold, we received the live flight data transmission from the debris.

There is, however, no sign of the pilot. The live flight data indicates that the pilot left the cockpit almost immediately after ejecting. All indicators would seem to suggest that he should have survived, but we are receiving no EVA suit signal from the valley, nor is there any indication that he was ever in the Valley.

Commander Jebediah, however, approved a tertiary flight, to search for the missing pilot, he would approve no landing however. the pilot's report indicated a trough through the snow on one of the slopes, which ended abruptly. there were no tracks leading away from it. Weather satalites have indicated there has been no precipitation of any kind since the incident. we can only assume the worst, and hope for the best.

Lt. Commander Bill has deemed that there is suffient evidence indicating the pilot died on the mountain, tearing up his EVA suit on the tumble down the slope. He has ordered the case closed. In compliance, I now do so, and close the case formally.

Atmospheric Flight Pilot Hamvin Kerman Hereby declared KIA.

Case File #0034 Closed, Investigation Concluded.

Signed

Bob Kerman

Lt. Commander, Kerbal Space Command

Director, Investigative Services.

-Private Note, Bob Kerman:

I can't help thinking that I missed something, that there is something more to be found. Command won't authorize another mission to that valley, I may have to do it myself.