Search for missing pilot called off

PALMER — The official search for a pilot missing since Oct. 13 has been called off, but private pilots continue to search.

According to an announcement Tuesday afternoon from the state’s Rescue Coordination Center:

“The 11th Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, acting under the authority of Lt. Gen. Stephen L. Hoog, 11th Air Force commander, has suspended the search for Brendan Mattingley after working around the clock to lead search and rescue efforts.”

Mattingley was last seen in Soldotna, where he’d been visiting friends and was planning to fly home to Wolf Lake.

He hasn’t been seen or heard from since. The National Guard, various units of the Civil Air Patrol, the U.S. Coast Guard and Alaska State Troopers flew for 221 hours and 66 missions in search of the missing pilot and plane.

Meanwhile, friends and family of Mattingley’s combed the area between Soldotna and Wasilla in a parallel and complimentary search.

“According to the RCC, all the leads that came in have been thoroughly researched and although the sanctioned search is suspended, private search efforts will be ongoing and the case can be re-opened by the RCC if new evidence is discovered,” according to the announcement.

On Monday, Ben Cruz posted an update to the Facebook page dedicated to the civilian search.

“Today I was able to tour and meet everyone at the Rescue Coordination Center. … They were astonished by the effort the community has put forth. They expressed that this is possibly the biggest civilian search and rescue effort in the state of Alaska. Even though we have not found Brendan Mattingley yet, the search will continue, but on a much smaller scale. It is absolutely incredible to see family, friends and people that have never even met Brendan come together and create something (of) this magnitude. We would like to thank everyone again for spotting, providing food, donations, support and helping out around the hangar, but at this time it is no longer a necessity. We will continue to update you as information becomes available to us.”