Wasilla man's fate unknown after Era helicopter crash

WASILLA -- Ron Frizzell was a big-hearted electrician who, for the past decade, repaired complex navigational equipment that helped keep planes landing safely at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.

Each day he made the commuter trek from Wasilla to the Anchorage airport, where he worked for the Federal Aviation Administration. At home, the 53-year-old liked tinkering with four-wheelers and snowmachines with his seven grown children, said his wife, Georgianne Frizzell.

Eight days ago, Frizzell and four other people were in an Era Aviation helicopter that went down in Cook Inlet in a snowstorm. As of Wednesday, his fate remained unknown, but he is presumed dead.

His friend and supervisor, Alfonso Villanueva, said Frizzell apparently lost his life in the service of his country.

Frizzell; Joyce Tucker, 46; Steven Durand, 47; and William Dick, 34, were on Fire Island Oct. 18 to patch a hole leaking water into crucial electronic equipment that ensures omnidirectional radio range detection, said FAA spokesman David Epstein.

"The type of work they do ensures air traffic controllers can talk to pilots. What they do is a service to their country," Villanueva said.

The four FAA workers had completed their work that snowy Thursday, then boarded the chopper piloted by veteran Era Aviation pilot Bob Larson. Apparently shortly after taking off in the blizzard they crashed into the frigid waters of Cook Inlet.

National Guard rescuers were able to rescue Durand and Dick an hour after the crash, but could not locate the other three passengers. That area of the inlet is crisscrossed by silty channels as deep as 65 feet, and searchers suspect the wreckage is buried.

Larson's body was recovered the day after the crash, yet there was no sign of wreckage or the other two passengers of the helicopter. An autopsy revealed Larson drowned, and ruled out any possible previous medical condition as the cause of the crash.

Figuring out what went wrong hinges on finding the helicopter, said National Transportation Safety Board investigator Kurt Anderson, who flew to Anchorage from the Seattle office to investigate this crash.

"The search isn't over," Epstein said. "Era has set up an around-the-clock operation, with a barge out there and a smaller craft. Hopefully, we will be able to recover the aircraft and bodies."

In the meantime, Georgianne Frizzell said, she receives support from people who keep her informed of each search effort. Frizzell's boss, Villanueva, who also lives in Wasilla, stops by daily to give her a report and see if the family needs anything.

"That's helped me out a lot," Georgianne Frizzell said. The couple has lived in Wasilla for 14 years. Prior to moving to Alaska 15 and a half years ago, they lived in California, where Frizzell had also worked for the federal government. He was born in Yuba City, Calif., on Nov. 4, 1947.

Frizzell and his wife raised seven children: Daniel, 37; Robert, 30; Marilyn, 24; Christina, 30; Suzette, 27; Georgia, 27; and Ronnie, 21. They have five grandchildren and another due in December.

One daughter, Georgia, planned to walk down the aisle with her dad in wedding ceremonies Saturday at Mat-Su Resort. The wedding will take place, her mother said, because "that's what Ron would have really wanted."

One son, Robbie, received Army leave to return home from Germany during this search effort. Another son, Danny, arrived from Arizona, and three others flew up from Sacramento, Calif. Two sisters and a brother are also here this week.

"It's really a tragic event that this happened so close to home," Epstein said. "We fly to places like navigational equipment sites in Southeast on the tops of mountains and remote locations in western Alaska in the middle of nowhere. Goes to show accidents can happen anywhere."

Friends and family of Ron Frizzell gathered Wednesday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Wasilla for memorial services.

The pilot of the Era helicopter, Bob Larson, was well known in the Valley for work he has done in search and rescue operations in conjunction with the Alaska State Troopers. He had been flying for Era for more than 20 years.

The FAA contracts with Era to take technicians to Fire Island in biweekly maintenance checks, Epstein said.

Larson's memorial service will be today in Anchorage at the Anchorage Baptist

Temple.